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Second
of three Saturday searches
happens on February 15, 2003
POSTED: Sunday, February 16, 2003 at 1:10 PM PST
UPDATED: Monday, February 24, 2003 at 8:50 AM PST
by
Gregg L. DesElms
The second of three planned Saturday search days organized by Laci Peterson's family and the Sund/Carrington Foundation
happened on Saturday, February 15, 2003 at 9:00 AM PST at Lake Don Pedro about 40 miles east of Modesto.
During its press
conference
on Wednesday, February 5, 2003, Laci's family announced that it was organizing three searches during the remaining
Saturdays of Feburary: One in the Delta Mendota Canal area on February 8th, one in the Lake Don Pedro
area on February 15th, and one in the Lake Pardee area on February 22nd (which was later changed to the New
Melones Reservoir).
The meeting place or staging area for Saturday's search was the Fleming Meadows Recreation Area on Bonds Flat Road
at Lake Don Pedro in La Grange, California. The Don Pedro Lake Fleming
Meadows Recreation Area
is nestled in the Sierra Nevada foothills about 40 miles due East of Modesto, CA.
Volunteers were asked to assemble in the staging area at 9:00
AM PST
in a peacful manner so as not to disturb others at the recreation area. About 130 eager volunteers showed-up, on
time, and in an orderly fashion, as requested. They were asked to print-out the page from this web site which provided
directions and a map so that they could show it at the gate to recreation area personnel to avoid having to pay
the entrance fee. Volunteers were provided the map, below, detailed driving instructions, and detailed weather
conditions for Saturday's search.
The above
map was provided to volunteer searchers on this web site to help them see precisely where the Fleming Meadows Recreation
area on Lake Don Pedro was located. Yosemite Boulevard, shown above, is Hwy 132 which passes right through the
middle of Modesto some 40 miles west of the lake. |
Volunteers were given
basic instructions for how to conduct their searches and what to look for. Some 250 or more serial-numbered maps,
each with different areas highlighted on them, were signed-out to volunteers who were asked to return them at the
end of the search day at around 3:00 PM PST. Each map contained different areas to be searched.
Unlike the first search day on February 8th, the search on February 15th did not require anyone on horseback or
anyone using four-wheel all-terrain vehicles (quads). The terrain around Lake Don Pedro is too rough and steep
for that. Even foot searching was kept to a minimum because of the steep landscape surrounding the water areas.
For this search the most valuable asset was persons with boats. Saturday's volunteer effort included 25 to 30 private
boats, said Brent Rocha, Laci's older brother. He headed the search, along with several volunteers from Modesto
and staff members from the Carole
Sund/Carrington Foundation.
Kathy Swigert and her husband, Dennis Dodenhoff, of Woodland brought their fishing boat to Don Pedro to help out.
Now, seven weeks after Laci Peterson disappeared on Christmas Eve, the couple are on their second round of searches.
But this is the first with their boat.
"We have two daughters, and we hope people would help us in this situation," Swigert said.
Although they had to get up at 3:30 a.m. to make it to the morning sign-up, they said the trip was worth it.
"I think it's a wonderful way to help someone in so much pain," Swigert said.
Swigert and Dodenhoff also brought their dogs, Lucy, an English Setter, and Dolly, a Maltese/Pomeranian mix. Another
couple, Ken and Jeanne La Barge from Sonora, also brought their hound mix, Charlie.
Volunteer searchers were warned that, unlike the search on February 8th which had as its staging area a local restaurant, there would
be no restaurant anywhere near where most volunteers would be searching. So they were asked to bring a lunch and
plenty of water to drink. They were advised to bring a hat and sunblock, and to wear comfortable clothing and shoes
appropriate for bo the terrain and the weather. It was also recommended that they bring binoculars since many who
participated in the search on February 8th who did bring binoculars later reported
that it was one of the smarter things they did that day. Finally, volunteers were asked not to participate if they
were not physically able or if they were in poor health.
"We love that you want to help," this web site told them, "but please don't hurt yourself in the
process!"
Details on the search for the following Saturday, February 22nd, were not available at the time of the search on
February 15th. Originally the Lake Pardee area had been named as the search area for the third and final organized
search Saturday. But some of the Lake Pardee area was already searched, and officials from the Lake Pardee area
reported to police that at the time of Laci's disappearance the Lake was not accessible and was surrounded by locked,
secure fences.
So, during the week between the 15th and the 22nd family members, in consultation with the Modesto Police and staff
from the Carole
Sund/Carrington Foundation
chose the New Melones Reservoir area for the search on February 22nd.
Click here to read about the Delta Mendota
Canal area search on February 8, 2003.
Click here to read about the New Melones
Reservoir area search on February 22, 2003
Though Laci's family
would like as many participants as possible to help on the designated search Saturdays, independent searching at
other times is also encouraged. Reading from his prepared statement at the family's press conference on Wednesday, February 5, 2003,
Laci's older brother, Brent Rocha, said:
"Where appropriate,
the family encourages searches by boat, horseback, quads, bikes, etc. If you are unable to join us in any of these
organized searches we still ask that ranchers, farmers, and property owners with acreage search their land, any
bodies of water, and any areas surrounding their properties."
But please do it safely!
And please do
not disturb any evidence you might happen to find.
If you find anything, keep your distance from it but do not leave it. Keep others away from it as well. Then call the Modesto Police Department at (209) 342-6166.
Please click here to learn about other things you can do to help!
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