First Hand Account Of Barbara Dee Crosby’s Rescue
View VideoSonora, CA — Longtime Clarke Broadcasting Senior Account Executive Karen Jensen witnessed the rescue of Barbara Dee Crosby, as Jensen’s family played a key role in the efforts on Sunday evening.
Her photos and video were in the original story posted earlier today, as found here.
Jensen reports that Search and Rescue officials were at her and husband Steve’s home at around six o’clock last night because there were reports of Crosby’s dog, Poncho, being spotted nearby. Jensen’s daughter and son-in-law, Skyler and Irl Barrajas, who were visiting, had also seen a dog matching that description earlier in the day, but at the time didn’t know it was connected to the missing woman.
When Jensen’s family members were leaving to go home on Sunday evening during the nine o’clock hour (including Skyler and Irl – and her other daughter and son-in-law, Stephanie and Brett Christopher), they saw Poncho again, and the four jumped out of their vehicles and went over to him, but the dog ran down a ravine, barking. Brett Christopher, who is also Summerville High School’s Principal, went down as far as he could and said to “Call the sheriff.”
The Search and Rescue Team soon arrived and found the 85-year-old Crosby, safe, in a pile of leaves, asleep. She woke up, surprised to see everyone around her. The emergency responders then brought her up in a basket and lifted her into the ambulance.
Jensen says that Poncho was a hero, alerting her family to Crosby’s whereabouts.
At one point, Poncho had run off, and everyone was worried about him, but by the end of the rescue, they saw him start to creep up the ravine. They called out to him, and he cautiously came up the hill. He then darted by everyone and went straight up into the ambulance to be with Crosby.
Jensen responded that it was “kind of like a movie,” and at the time appeared to be a “very happy ending thanks to Poncho.”
Unfortunately, Jensen noted that she heard rumors from other neighbors this morning that Poncho had since gone missing again in that area, having run away at some point during the commotion last night. The Tuolumne County Sheriff’s Office confirms that Poncho did get away later on. Neighbors in the Bald Mountain Road area have been looking and keeping an eye out for him again today. He is described as a small, tan, chihuahua.
