An investigation is now underway and being handled by LASD’s Homicide/Missing Persons Unit, which was assisted by the deployment of the station’s Search and Rescue Team, in addition to assistance from an aerial unit, on Thursday.
The name of the missing person is Jason Alen Brice, who was described as 52 years old, 5’11” and 320 pounds, with brown/gray medium-length hair and blue eyes.
Santa Clarita Valley Sheriff’s Station officials activated search and rescue resources Thursday evening in the Angeles National Forest region.
The search units were seen near an Angeles National Forest ranger station, off San Francisquito Canyon Road, north of Drinkwater Flats, which is a popular off-road recreation area.
One of the detectives handling the investigation confirmed a few preliminary details regarding the nature of the missing person, but the identity of the man sought is expected to be released later this afternoon.
“It is a DWP worker, there is nothing suspicious (about the disappearance), there’s nothing criminal (suspected at this time),” said Detective Abraham of the Homicide Bureau/Missing Persons Unit.
“(Thursday’s search) was a due diligence search so to speak, because he lives in that area, but we’re giving it our best shot to search out there because of the terrain,” she said, adding that officials don’t have any specific information about the person’s last known whereabouts.
The station’s Search and Rescue Team was activated Thursday afternoon.
The person was reported missing on Jan. 23, but believed to have been last seen about a week prior to the report, around Jan. 16, according to sheriff’s officials.
A call to the Angeles National Forest’s media relations line was not returned. The voice mail message for the media contact, Nathan Judy, said he was unavailable due to the recent federal government shutdown.
“Nobody was located, we still don’t have the specifics on the reason they were there,” said Deputy Navarro of the Sheriff’s Information Bureau, regarding Thursday’s search efforts. “My understanding is that there was an investigation that did not yield (what detectives sought).”
SIB officials confirmed initial reports that no foul play has been suspected, and that the search was a routine follow-up, as the person missing lived in the area being searched.
“We’re just trying to do the best we can on this one,” Abraham said, “because we don’t have any leads.”
Anyone with any information regarding a missing person who lived in the area, is asked to call the Homicide/Missing Persons Unit at 323-890-5500.
