Ventura County Sheriff's Department

Location: Point Mugu State Park, Ventura County, Ca
Date & Time: 1-11-10 / 6:30 p.m.
Unit Responsible: Ventura County Sheriff's Department – Aviation / SAR Unit

(V)ictim: Jay Lewitt City of residence: Agoura Hills, Ca. Age: 48 yrs
Evan Lewitt Agoura Hills, Ca. 20 yrs

On 1-11-10, Jay Lewitt and his son, Evan Lewitt, went hiking in Point Mugu State Park on the Chumash Trail. They hiked to the top of Mugu Peak and then proceeded back down to their car. As they hiked down, they could not find the trail. As the sun set, they decided to hike straight toward their car, which they could see from the top of the mountain.

Soon afterward, the sunset and the two hikers were using the light from their cell phones to light the terrain in front of them. Eventually, they came to the edge of a cliff and could go no farther. They determined they could not hike up the way the came due to the darkness and called 911.

The Ventura County Sheriff's Department activated its East Valley Search and Rescue team as well as its rescue helicopter. The helicopter was staffed with a Sheriff’s pilot, Deputy Crew Chief and Fire Fighter Crew Chief.

Using night vision goggles, Air Squad 9 quickly located the stranded hikers. They determined the quickest and safest way to rescue them was using the helicopter. Air Squad 9 was able to hover near a rock pinnacle and off-load a crew chief. The crew chief hiked down to the stranded hikers and escorted them back up to the pinnacle. Air Squad 9 flew back in and hovered in the same position. The victims were loaded into the copter while it was in a hover. They were then transported to the trailhead where they were released. Neither subject was injured.