Sunday, August 21, 2016

Inebriated Teenager Requires Helicopter Hoist for Echo Mountain Rescue, Arrested with 3 Others

Fire along with search and rescue crews spent early Saturday morning rescuing four inebriated teenagers — one who was so incapacitated a helicopter was required to hoist and carry her from the mountain.

The rescue was launched shortly after 2 a.m. when authorities received a report of two unconscious persons seen above the water tank across Echo Mountain, above Altadena.

The Altadena Mountain Rescue Team along with Los Angeles County Fire Department began searching the mountains for the hikers.

Altadena rescue team members hiked into the the fire break area of the mountain and soon made voice contact with several of the hikers, who said they were disoriented on the steep hillside in the darkness.

It was apparent the hikers were under the influence, authorities said, and the hikers “soon admitted to drinking alcohol.”

One of the hikers, a female juvenile was too inebriated to hike out, even with rescuers assistance.

A Los Angeles County Fire helicopter was used to help search for the hikers and also to hoist the female hiker. She was flown to Farnsworth Park for medical assessment.

The remaining hikers, and 18 year-old and 19-year old young men and a female juvenile, all El Monte residents, were able to hike off the mountain with assistance.

Due to the hikers’ ages, their location off marked trails and their use of, alcohol authorities placed all four under arrest.

The young men were arrested for suspicion of for providing alcohol to the minors, and the girls were arrested for curfew violation.