201912.14
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Volunteer rescuer, 32, dies during search for Irvine hiker on Mt. Baldy

by in News

A nine-year veteran of the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department volunteer search-and-rescue team died Saturday, Dec. 14, after apparently falling during the hunt for a missing Irvine hiker on Mt. Baldy.

The Sheriff’s Department identified him as Tim Staples, 32. The Damien High website lists Staples as a social science and English teacher at the school in La Verne.

 

 

Sheriff John McMahon, at an evening news conference in Upland, praised the team members for risking their lives.

“Today is an example of what they’re willing to give to help to try to save those who unfortunately get lost and get hurt in some of the most dangerous parts of this state,” McMahon said. “Our thoughts and prayers are with the family.”

Staples was one of 126 people from 10 counties working in 23 teams Saturday searching for Sreenivas “Sree” Mokkapati, 52, who went missing Dec. 8. About 1 p.m., Staples’ search partner radioed that the two had gotten separated, a news release said. About a half-hour later, a Los Angeles County sheriff’s helicopter responded and found Staples unresponsive in an area of ice and snow, apparently having fallen down an ice chute. A medic who was lowered to Staples discovered him deceased.

McMahon described the search conditions as “extremely dangerous.”

“In the daytime, the snow starts to melt and as the day goes on and it gets cooler and turns to ice and becomes extremely dangerous,” he said.

The investigation into Staples’ death will try to determine whether it could have been prevented and whether more training is needed, McMahon said. Such an accident “happens with even the most experienced hikers,” he added.

As a result of the rescuer’s death, the search for Mokkapati was suspended.

“(Search-and-rescue) crews are being recalled from the mountain and search operations are being re-evaluated,” the department said in a Twitter message.

Mokkapati got separated from three other hikers during a trek from Bear Flats at 4,000 feet to the 10,000-foot Mt. Baldy summit on Dec. 8. He was reported missing the same day. Mokkapati is known as an experienced hiker, but was equipped only for a day hike.