Search for rider turns up empty

By JO ANN BOBBY-GILBERT Staff Writer

POSTED: February 8, 2010

- An intensive search was launched Sunday involving three fire departments and a helicopter in an effort to find a lost all-terrain vehicle (ATV) rider, but the search was called off after several hours when he was not found.
Franklin Township fire Chief Jim May reported a man called at 6 p.m. to report a friend riding an ATV buggy in the White Culvert area off Roses Run Road was missing. He reportedly had been riding in the area since noon and had not returned or been heard from.
Highlandtown, Franklin and Salineville firefighters converged on the scene, aided by a Stat MedEvac helicopter out of Pittsburgh which flew overhead with spotlights and night vision goggles in a grid pattern.
Firetrucks were used to spotlight the grid pattern, according to May, who said two snowmobiles also were used in the search.
Normally, he said, ATVs would be used by the fire departments to conduct such a search, but snow was too deep to use them effectively.
The search was called off at 10 p.m. after the rider was not found and the man who reported him missing had not called back, May said.
Highlandtown fire Chief Tim Roush was still at the scene and could not be reached last night for comment.
jgilbert@mojonews.com