February 18, 2022 - The Fresno County Sheriff's Office reports around 10:30 am on Thursday, deputies and volunteers with the Fresno County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team made contact with a man and his two small boys in the area of Rock Creek and Dinkey Creek Roads in Shaver Lake. Members of the Jeep Rescue Unit transported the family back out to the main road and arranged for retrieval of their SUV, which had gotten stuck in the snow.

On Wednesday night, Hanford Police contacted the Sheriff’s Office to check areas of Fresno County for a 31 year old man and his boys, ages five and three. The family from Hanford was overdue from their day trip. Relatives told police the group was scheduled to visit Avocado Lake and was possibly then going to head to Hume Lake. Members of the Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Team put forth efforts to check those areas, but had no luck. Meanwhile, deputies checked cell phone data to try and locate the family. Some GPS data suggested they may actually be in the Shaver Lake area. After sunrise on Thursday, the crew on our EAGLE One helicopter spotted the family who had been staying in their vehicle to stay warm. This was located off Rock Creek Road, near the Upper Dinkey Creek Campground. The crew used its speaker system to tell the man to stay put and ground patrols would make their way to them, which they eventually did. All were in good condition.

Deputies learned the man’s cell phone had lost its signal and he and his boys did not have enough food and water to last through the rest of the day, so the timing of finding them worked out as well as it possibly could.

The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind you to always carry extra snacks, water and blankets during day trips in case unforeseen circumstances arise. Do not go off-roading in areas you are not familiar with, especially in snowy or muddy conditions. Also, if you change plans of where you will be going, make sure to let family or friends know as soon as possible.


Source: Fresno County Sheriff's Office