County Seeks Law to Bill Hikers for Rescues

Written by City News Service, posted by Peter Schelden.

The Orange County Board of Supervisors unanimously approved a resolution Tuesday asking state lawmakers to revive a law that allowed authorities to recover the costs of a rescue, a move inspired by  two hikers who got lost in Trabuco Canyon last month.

Supervisors Todd Spitzer and John Moorlach were angry that one of the hikers -- 19-year-old Nicolas Cendoya -- was subsequently charged with possession of methamphetamine. Sheriff's deputies allegedly found the drug in the vehicle he drove to the mountain.

Authorities estimate it cost more than $160,000 to rescue Cendoya and his 18-year-old friend, Kyndall Jack. But county officials concluded they could not legally bill the hikers, so the supervisors now want to revive a law that expired in 1999.

"We're not trying to ruin people's lives, but they should be held accountable," Spitzer said.

"It was a good idea before," Moorlach said of the expired law.

In the law that expired in 1999, about $5,000 could be sought by authorities. The new proposed legislation would not limit what can be recovered.

Assemblyman Don Wagner, R-Tustin, represents the area where the hikers got lost, so he will be asked to sponsor the new legislation, Moorlach said.
Cendoya was charged April 30 with a felony count of possession of a controlled substance and is scheduled to be arraigned July 12.

Investigators on April 2 found 497 milligrams of methamphetamine in Cendoya's car, about 0.017 ounce, said Farrah Emami of the Orange County district attorney's office.

Cendoya and Jack went missing Easter Sunday night while hiking. Cendoya was rescued late April 3, and Jack was found the next morning.