Troopers Find Missing Frozen Hiker

Breathitt County Sheriff John Hollan and search and rescue crews from the Jackson Fire Department were called to the report of a missing woman on Frozen Creek at about 5:32 on Tuesday, July 15. 

The E-911 Center at Post 13 in Hazard received a call from Rachael Cruz reporting that her 21-year-old daughter had gone for a hike and had not been heard from since 2:00 p.m.

According to officials, Jocelyn Danielle Dominguez left without her cell phone and went into the woods near her home at 585 Williams Road at Vancleve, off Lower Taulbee Fork.

Search crews entered the woods near the home and performed a patterned sweep through the steep and wooded area near the residence, but found nothing.  Several dogs, which usually accompanied the female on walks, returned to the home without her.

Using ATVs, firefighters searched several local cemeteries and canvassed neighboring homes within a three-mile radius without finding any trace of the missing woman. 

Family members told officials that they had lived at the location for only nine months and that she was “not very familiar” with the area around the home because they were “new to the area.”

Troopers from the Kentucky State Police joined the effort and gathered additional information after questioning the mother and family members.

The search continued for more than three hours until a severe thunderstorm moved into the area and efforts were suspended at 8:42 p.m. for the safety of rescue crews due to heavy rain, high winds, and extreme lightning.

Following the storm, KSP officers returned to the area on Williams Road and located the missing woman at the residence.  She was reportedly transported to another location for the night.  No details of where she may have been or how she got lost have been released.