Missing Stagecoach teen contacts police, says he's OK

A Stagecoach teen missing since last night and feared lost in the mountains of western Lyon County has been in contact with authorities and said he is OK.

Lyon County Undersheriff Joe Sanford said Search and Rescue crews and the Washoe County Sheriff's Department's RAVEN helicopter searched Como Mountain, Pine Valley, the Fort Churchill area, the banks of the Carson River and "basically everything north and south of Highway 50."

The 15-year-old boy was last seen taking off on his motorcycle about 11 a.m. yesterday. When he hadn't returned by 9:45 p.m. his parents called police.

At about 12:30 p.m. today the search was called off after the boy contacted his grandmother. He'd apparently argued with his parents just before taking off on his bike yesterday morning and decided to run away, said Sanford.

"We've called off the search because we know he's OK," the undersheriff said. "He's with a buddy somewhere in Dayton and he won't tell us where he is, but that he is alright. He said if he saw law enforcement he's going in the opposite direction."

Sanford said officers are no longer actively searching for the boy and the incident will be reviewed for charges against the teen at a later date.

"We were worried about him and that's why we went out and looked for him, we wanted to make sure he was OK."