Fire, police, an air ambulance, and a CHP helicopter responded this morning to Indian Valley Reservoir, a popular destination for off-roading enthusiasts near the Lake/Colusa County line, after a utility task vehicle (UTV) crashed overturned with two parties inside.
When first responders arrived, they determined that one patient experienced minor injuries and the second declined care against medical advice.
Due to the remote location of the incident, two helicopters, one from California Highway Patrol and the other from Reach air ambulance, were dispatched to the scene alongside firefighters from Lake and Colusa counties.
At the close of the incident, the UTV (also called a side-by-side) was reportedly still in a ditch and the patients’ family said they would extricate the vehicle.
A Facebook post from the CHP-Golden Gate Division Air Operations stated their agency’s H-30 helicopter responded to the scene, assisted, and “transferred one of two patients to REACH.”
The Facebook post highlighted the remote nature of the incident stating, “Sometimes flying 35 minutes to a call we are still the first to render aid at these remote calls.”
Shout out to the Public Safety Scanner Lake County, CA Facebook group for their transcription of scanner traffic during the incident that allowed us to provide an overview of the incident.
[This is the approximate location of the incident]
its a popular area but very remote
i remember going up on a saturday in early 90s in early winter and finding a stuck 4×4 in the mud with a family of 4 . they said i was the first person they saw in 3 days . gave them my food and water and a couple beers for adults and pulled them out of the mud .
although there were houses 5 miles west of them they had never been there before and stayed where they were , just as we are taught .
remember , know where you are going and know how to find help in that area