Mariposa sheriff lambastes hiker who went missing retracing path of lost family

Mariposa County Sheriff Jeremy Briese last weekend didn’t mince words when he lit into a Michigan man who became lost during an amateur sleuthing bid to solve the mystery of how a family died in 2021 on a hiking trail near Yosemite National Park.

“To have someone purposely put themselves in danger....and potentially putting the safety of our staff in danger all to try and prove us wrong is maddening and quite frankly sickening,” Briese wrote on the sheriff’s Facebook page. “It’s hard not to be angry about this particular rescue mission.”

The man was not identified by the sheriff’s office. Deputies became aware of him on June 29 after he was reported missing along the Hites Cove/Savage Lundy Trail.

A YEAR SINCE FAMILY’S DEATH

In August 2021, Jonathan Gerrish, Ellen Chung, their 1-year-old daughter, Aurelia “Miju” Chung-Gerrish, and family dog, Oski, were found dead on the trail.

A lengthy investigation determined they died of heat-related causes and dehydration.

The person who reported the Michigan man missing said they encountered him the previous day and noted the man spoke about the death of the family the previous year, found the case “odd,” and said he wanted to research the case on his own. After seeing the man’s rented vehicle the next day, the reporting party contacted deputies.

The missing man was described as being in his 60s, 5 feet, 6 inches tall and 200 pounds, and wearing sweatpants. He reportedly entered a closed area to begin his hike. He was found Thursday morning with assistance from the Fresno County Sheriff’s helicopter.

According to the Mariposa sheriff’s report, the man complained about having to stay the night at the bottom of the Hites Cove Trail because he could not find the connection to the Savage Lundy portion, could not complete a 911 call, and was forced to drink river water. He also wanted to know if the water had been tested for algae.

Said the sheriff:

“We had local, national and international news surrounding the tragic incident last year...Each time we spoke about it we informed the public on ways to stay safe in the area..

“I am proud of my team for their professionalism and for bringing this man back to a safe location.

“Please recreate responsibly.”

This story was originally published July 6, 2022 at 12:25 PM with the headline "Mariposa sheriff lambastes hiker who went missing retracing path of lost family."