Stranded Arizona man discovered in remote northern Ventura County after multiple days

VENTURA COUNTY, Calif. – A 65-year-old Arizona man was discovered by Lockwood Valley Sheriff's Station personnel after being stranded for multiple days in the remote reaches of northern Ventura County Tuesday.

On Dec. 26, a motorist was located and transported to safety after becoming stranded behind the winter gate in the Grade Valley area of northern Ventura County explain Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

That motorist told deputies that more motorists were stranded in the restricted area so a Sheriff's deputy and a Sheriff's dispatcher from Lockwood Valley Sheriff's Station searched the surrounding area detail Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

According to Ventura County Sheriff's Office, the Sheriff's dispatcher noticed a faint light in the distance about ten miles from the highway and when they got closer, they discovered a 65-year-old man from Phoenix, Arizona holding a flashlight.

The man appeared to be malnourished and was wearing wet clothes and stated he had driven his vehicle around a locked gate when his vehicle had become stuck four days before being discovered explain Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Lockwood Sheriff's Station personnel provided aid and transported him out of the area before returning him to his vehicle on Dec. 28 then assisting him back to the highway state Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Ventura County Sheriff's Deputy Josh Vulich detailed with your News Channel that the man's vehicle was partially stuck in a creek bed that was filled by area rain and the 65-year-old was able to survive by sleeping in his vehicle as temperatures at night pose a very serious risk.

Deputies at Lockwood Valley Sheriff's Station patrol approximately 610 square miles of area, most of which is only accessible by off-road vehicles on forest service roads and trails.

Each winter, the U.S. Forest Service closes these service roads and trails with winter gates to prevent motorists from becoming stuck due to winter storms explain Ventura County Sheriff's Office.

Lockwood Valley deputies remind the public that those closed/locked gates are a safety precaution and that going around them endangers lives.

If you are traveling in remote or difficult-to-access areas, alert your friends and family about your route and bring a GPS device advise Ventura County Sheriff's Office.