Helicopter hoist saves motorcyclist
By Jesse Phelps

On Monday at approximately 6 p.m., the Ventura County Sheriff's Aviation Unit was dispatched to report on a motorcycle accident on Highway 33 north of Rose Valley. Initial reports were that the rider and his motorcycle had left the roadway and fallen approximately 40 feet down an embankment. According to witnesses, the rider, Jed Arasheben, 23, of Northridge, was suffering only from a minor knee injury.

Emergency crews from Los Padres National Forest, the Ventura County Fire Department and a Life Line ambulance were dispatched to the site of the accident. After it was determined that the victim was still down the embankment and that the accident was actually near Lockwood Valley Road, which is well north of Ojai, the services of Sheriff's Copter 9 were requested.

Once on scene, emergency personnel assessed Arasheben's condition. Due to the nature of the accident and the distance the rider had fallen down the embankment, it was decided that all precautions should be taken for possible head and back injuries.

Sheriff's Copter 9 arrived and hoisted down crew chief and rescue specialist Carl Patterson with rescue equipment. After being placed into a Stokes litter, Arasheben was hoisted approximately 50 feet up to the hovering helicopter. After recovering the rescue specialist, the helicopter boarded a paramedic from the Life Line ambulance to accompany Arasheben on the flight to the Ventura County Medical Center in Ventura.

Arasheben's medical care continued throughout the flight. Once at the hospital, his medical care was transferred to the emergency department.

No other bystanders or emergency personnel were injured during the rescue hoist operation, according to Deputy Mike Berg of the Aviation/Search and Rescue Unit.

Berg said that rescues of this nature are not uncommon in the canyons, particularly during summer. "It varies, it's kind of seasonal," he noted. Citing the heightened activity at this time of year, Berg said, " We were really surprised that was our first and only call. We get a lot of them when there's a lot of activity."

Berg also said in discussing this type of rescue, that more than 50 percent of all calls have to do with motorcycles.

He could not confirm Arasheben's current condition but a nursing supervisor at Ventura County Medical Center said that, though rules in place would not allow her to discuss patient injuries, she could confirm that Arasheben has already been discharged.

© 2003 The Ojai Valley News

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