Linn County Undersheriff Jim Yon reports the Linn County County Sheriff’s Office received a call yesterday at 1:40 pm about a missing hiker, Sanford David Rice, 75 years of age from Blachly, Oregon, in the Marion Lakes area off Hwy 22. The caller reported Rice went for a day hike in the area and did not return home.
The Sheriff’s Office sent deputies to the Marion Lake Trail head to look for him. They were able to locate his vehicle and entry receipts indicating he was doing a day hike. Deputies spoke with several hikers in the area and learned Rice had been last seen nearMarion Lake.
The Sheriff’s Office also sent a Hasty Team to the area to start searching. They searched the area all night. In the morning, six members from the Linn County Mounted Posse responded to the area and began to search the area. Linn County SAR has 12 members searching the area on foot. Oregon Civil Air Patrol joined the search this morning and was conducting an air search.
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting assistance from other SAR groups from around the region to continue the search.