Owyhee sheriff says thanks to those who helped find body

Dear editor:

On the night of June 6, 2009, Owyhee County experienced a rain storm unlike anything that had been seen here in the past thirty years. People's lives and property were in serious jeopardy. In the midst of all of this chaos, we lost one of our own.

Retired Deputy George Reed was taken from us in a flash flood that swept his car into the river. My deepest condolences go to the Reed family.

Being first on the scene, I was able to start the search on both sides of the wash and put people on the bridge to look for any signs of the wreck.

In a very short response time, there were emergency personnel who waded the river from the bridge to the creek, volunteers who went out in their boats in the middle of the night, people there to give moral and spiritual support, people willing to fly over the river searching, others who manned the phones and troopers who covered calls so OCSO could keep looking.

Flood lights were put up by volunteers, deputies drove equipment to those who needed it, volunteer dive and boat teams searched the water for two days.

Others provided needed traffic control and many risked their lives so that a family could have closure. I don't know how to say thank you to so many people that gave so much but I will never forget your service and effort.

You are heroes, one and all.

Daryl Crandall

Owyhee County Sheriff