Location of Incident: Mittry Lake, Yuma, AZ On Saturday, November 22, 2014, at approximately 11:00 p.m., the Yuma County Sheriff’s Office received a report of two lost male subjects in the Mittry Lake area who were requesting assistance. Upon arrival, deputies spoke to the reporting party (RP) who had received a phone call at approximately 4:30 p.m. from the girlfriend of one of the missing men, Michael Stanz, 53, of Yuma. The RP advised deputies that Mr. Stanz had received a phone call from the second missing man, Steven Lantz, 51, of Yuma, at approximately 9:00 a.m. asking him for assistance with his disabled vehicle. At that time, Stanz went out to the Mittry Lake area and was able to locate Mr. Lantz. Both men returned to Stanz’s home to retrieve tools needed to repair the disabled vehicle and went back out at approximately 2:00 p.m. to the vehicle’s location. The RP stated that Stanz’s girlfriend had requested his help with locating the two missing men after she received a call from Stanz advising her that they had gotten lost on foot and needed assistance. She also told him that the men were without food, water and were not properly clothed for the cold weather conditions. The RP stated that he and Stanz’s girlfriend went searching for the men and contacted the YCSO for assistance when they were unsuccessful. The YCSO conducted an extensive search for the two men while attempting to track the cell phone through GPS to find a location for the subjects; the search was unsuccessful. The MCAS Yuma Search and Rescue Unit was contacted for assistance in the search at 2:30 a.m. At approximately 4:20 a.m., MCAS SAR located Mr. Stanz, who was uninjured. MCAS SAR continued to search the area and located Mr. Lantz at 5:00 a.m. Lantz complained of hip and knee pain, however, he did not require immediate medical attention. Rural/Metro Ambulance responded to the scene, however, both men refused medical attention. The YCSO would like to remind the public to take precautions when hiking in the desert area. Hiking Tips: 1. Don’t go alone. Go with someone or travel with another vehicle. 2. ALWAYS tell a friend when you will leave and when you expect to return. Have someone notify the Sheriff’s Office at 783-4427 if you are more than 2 hours overdue in returning. 3. Carry a cell phone and GPS with you. 4. Take water. Even in the winter you will need water to keep from getting dehydrated. 5. Wear layers of clothing. If it is warm when you start out, tie a jacket around your waist. Remember, as soon as the sun goes behind the hills, it will get cooler fast. Being warm will help you stay alert and aware of the weather for possible rain. 6. Take a hat. It will shade your face and keep you cooler in the heat and will keep you warmer in the cold by protecting your head. 7. Take an energy bar. If you get lost, tired, hungry or cold this will give you energy to get back home. 8. Take a whistle. This will save your voice and energy and can be heard much better than your voice. 9. Take a flashlight, matches and a small mirror for signaling.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Nov 2014 19:18:58 +0000
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