A Phoenix man, aged 65, was rescued after enduring a harrowing four-day ordeal stranded in the backcountry of Ventura County, as reported by Nixle. The victim, identified as Brent Lendriet, was discovered in a depleted state on December 26, by deputies from the Lockwood Valley Sheriff's Station, after he drove around a locked gate onto closed service roads in Grade Valley.
The deputies were initially informed of a motorist locked behind the winter gate, which had been closed by the United States Forest Service (USFS) for the season, which is when the winter storm usually comes in and makes the roads impassable, but as they responded to the scene, they found out there was more to the situation than they expected. Upon arriving at the scene, the attending deputy and dispatcher were alerted to additional vehicles caught beyond the gate and during their search incidentally stumbled upon Lendriet some 10 miles away from the highway, thanks to the light of his flashlight piercing the darkness, as stated in a release by Deputy Josh Vulich.
"The subject looked malnourished and wearing wet clothing," said the released statement, painting a distressing image of Lendriet's condition. Provided with immediate aid by his rescuers, Lendriet's confrontation with nature's raw elements concluded, avoiding the life-threatening below-freezing temperatures that awaited in the forecast, owing his survival to the dispatcher's keen eye.
Lockwood Valley Deputies revisited the scene with the survivor on December 28, leading Lendriet back to his vehicle for recovery. Underscoring the gravity of his misadventure, they cautioned the public about the critical importance of respecting closed gates intended as safety measures and the necessity for robust preparation when venturing into remote terrains which should include GPS devices and sharing travel plans with family to ensure one's whereabouts can be traced. The released statement from Deputy Vulich emphasized the perils of ignoring such safeguards, underscoring the potential of such risks to culminate in dire consequences which can be avoided provided the proper respect is given to nature's unrelenting forces and the measures in place to temper their impact.
Those with information regarding this incident or other crimes can contact Ventura County Crime Stoppers anonymously to potentially earn a reward of up to $1,000 that leads to an arrest and criminal complaint. For further details, Deputy Josh Vulich can be reached at (661) 245-3829.
