March 19, 2025 – Lassen County Sheriff's Office officials report that on Sunday March 16th, 2025, at about 8:45 P.M., the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office received a report of a vehicle accident on Highway 139. The reporting party stated he received a phone call from his 94-year-old friend who crashed his vehicle and was down an embankment in a tree line. The crash victim could not provide his exact location but believed he was on Highway 139, near Hagata Road. The reporting party stated the victim was likely traveling northbound from Susanville to his residence at Eagle Lake.

Numerous agencies including but not limited to; Cal-Fire, Cal-Trans, Spaulding Fire Department, SEMSA, California Highway Patrol and the Lassen County Sheriff’s Office canvassed the area extensively without results. The search area was expanded from the Susanville City limits north to County Road A1. Personnel also canvassed the entirety of County Road A1 for safe measure.

Attempts were made to electronically ping the victim’s cell phone for a location to no avail.

Search personnel continued diligent and methodical searching of the area. Road conditions were icy and visibility was very limited due to the heavy snowstorm. 

At about 12:31 A.M., a Deputy located the vehicle about 15 miles north of the reported crash location. The vehicle was located on the east side of Highway 139, down an embankment, near Eagle Lake. Deputies got down the steep embankment where the vehicle was sitting on the passenger side and resting against a tree. The victim was accessed by climbing on top of the vehicle and breaking windows. The victim was hypothermic and non-responsive, but breathing. The victim was cut from the seat belt and put in the recovery position.

Fire and medical personnel arrived and the victim was extricated from the vehicle. The victim was subsequently transported to a medical facility.

The Lassen County Sheriff’s Office would like to thank all first responders for their dedicated efforts locating the victim and providing medical care. We wish the victim a full and speedy recovery.

- Sergeant Bryan Sullivan

Source: Lassen County Sheriff's Office