Dozens search for ‘missing’ woman

HATCHER PASS — A large contingent of rescuers from multiple agencies turned out Saturday to search for someone who, as far as anyone can tell, wasn’t actually missing or in need of help.

“Right now we don’t have any reason to believe that there’s something wrong but certainly if she’s out there, please contact troopers — just to let us know that she’s OK,” said Beth Ipsen, Alaska State Trooper spokeswoman.

According to Ipsen, on Saturday afternoon troopers got a call from the woman’s sister around 2 p.m.

“A woman called us reporting that she’d received a text message from her sister saying that her sister had been involved in a rollover car accident,” Ipsen said.

The woman told troopers that her sister said the crash was on the road that goes up Hatcher Pass near a body of water and that one person was unconscious.

Four troopers responded — one reaching the area from Talkeetna via Willow-Fishhook Road — with them were numerous state park rangers, 16 firefighters and medics from the Mat-Su Borough and the Palmer Fire Department and a LifeMed helicopter.

After about two hours of searching, everyone came up empty handed and finally decided there was no crash. That’s when they decided to see if they could get hold of the woman who sent the text.

“OK, there wasn’t a wreck so we’d like to talk to her just to make sure that she’s OK,” Ipsen said.

She said that troopers and the woman’s family have not been able to reach her.

“It sounds like her family is concerned about her,” Ipsen said.

But, all indications thus far are that she doesn’t need troopers’ help.

As for what happens next, Ipsen said it’s unlikely that troopers will pursue anything like a charge of making a false report charge.

“She contacted her sister and her sister was the one who contacted us,” Ipsen said.

Also, on a philosophical level, troopers are reticent to pursue that course in these types of situations.

“Part of it is that we don’t want people to stop reporting things,” Ipsen said. “We like to err on the side of caution.”

Contact Andrew Wellner at 352-2270 or andrew.wellner@frontiersman.com.