LAPD Officers Rescue Elderly Man

Los Angeles: A San Fernando elderly man is rescued by Officers and airlifted to safety Saturday evening.

On Saturday January 12, 2008 a San Fernando family went hiking in Reseda State Park in the Mullholland Hills area of West Valley. The group included 74 year old Mohammed Moghaddam.

At 3:00 PM, the other members of the group noticed that Moghaddam was missing. The group searched for the elderly man for about 1 hour and then called 911.

The group returned to their vehicle in the area of Reseda Blvd.

At about 4:00 PM, LAPD West Valley Division received the called for help and requested an Air Unit.
Air 16 Pilot Jim Weigh, and Tactical Flight Officer Rudy Villareal responded and began searching for Mr. Moghaddam.

At about 4:50 PM, Officer Villarreal spotted Mr. Moghaddam on a trial in the hills. He was east of Balboa Boulevard and was walking the opposite directions where his group initially lost him.

The officers in the LAPD airship tried several times to get Mr. Moghaddam attention using the helicopter loud speaker, but the elderly man did not respond and appeared to be disoriented.

The Officers in the helicopter made several attempts to direct LAPD ground units to Mr. Moghaddam but the ruff terrain made it difficult for LAPD ground to reach Mr. Moghaddam.

With the sun about to set, and time running out before darkness Plot Jim Weigh made the desion to land the helicopter as close to Mr. Moghaddam as possible.

Officer Villareal got out of the helicopter and walked to Mr. Moghaddam and brought him back to the helicopter.

The officers made another attempt to get ground units to their location but were unable to.

The officers ultimately decided to fly Mr. Moghaddam to West Valley Station were he was reunited with his family.

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