Staff Writer
CHAPMAN — A Florida woman has an adventurous tale to tell back home, after getting lost in the woods in late July while walking her dog during a trip to visit family. “Shortly after noon on July 31, the Maine Warden Service was notified that a 57-year-old woman, Jacquelyn Winnard, of Jupiter, Fla., had not returned from walking her pet earlier in the day in Chapman,” said Sgt. Tom Ward, MWS, based in Ashland.
Ward said Winnard had taken her young yellow Labrador Retriever for a walk shortly after 8 a.m. and had failed to return to her son’s home, where she was visiting.
“Family members told us the dog was hard to handle. Apparently the dog got away from her. In attempting to catch the dog, she went into the woods, became disoriented and got lost,” Ward explained.
Unfamiliar with the area, Ward said the woman was unable to find her way back to her son’s property, located at the end of the West Chapman Rd.
“When she didn’t come home, her husband called us and we initiated a search,” said Ward.
A search team was put together and included game wardens, police officers and K-9 handlers.
“Before we were done, we had eight wardens, including a Warden Service pilot; two K-9 handlers; and officers from the Presque Isle Police Department, including Officer Kevin Schumacher and the PIPD’s K-9, Hunter,” said Ward, noting how agencies worked together on the search. “We also had a MESARD (Maine Search and Rescue Dogs) team lined up as well.”
Those assisting Ward and Schumacher with the search included: Wardens Alan Dudley, Ed Christie, Kevin Pelkey, Ryan Fitzpatrick, K-9 handler Jeff Spencer; Paul Harrington, a K-9 handler out of Springfield; Warden Service pilot Daryl Gordon; and PIPD Officer Kevin Reed.
Ward said the pilot flew over the area for over two hours, before having to break off the search by air. The woman was eventually located in a stretch of woods east of the residence — not by a member of the search team but by a heavy equipment operator.
“There’s some drainages down there. She became disoriented. But she was lucky. She stumbled on a bulldozer operator who brought her out to the road,” said Ward. “She was distraught she’d lost her dog. She was brought back to her son’s home and the dog returned a short time later, around 6 p.m.”
Shortly after the woman returned to her son’s, Ward said he looked up the road and saw the dog making its way back to the property.
Despite being lost for nearly nine hours, Winnard reportedly suffered only minor discomfort from her time in the woods.
“Aside from the rain, she was basically just tired from her experience,” said Ward.
Ward said the search team was relieved the woman was found before dark.
“Any time we have someone not familiar with the area and the weather is turning bad, we have some concerns. We’re glad she was found before dark,” said Ward.
Ward advises when venturing out for a walk, always tell someone where you are going and when you expect to be back. If a person becomes separated from their pet, Ward said it’s best to not attempt to follow them into wooded areas, since pets usually come home on their own. “Don’t risk getting lost yourself,” said Ward. “And carry a few useful items with you when venturing out, like a whistle, water and a cell phone.”
