Lovelock family nearly was found earlier

RENO — Authorities say they almost found the Lovelock family missing in subzero temperatures this week on the first night of the search.

Pershing County Emergency Management Director Charles Sparke told the Reno Gazette-Journal that a deputy got within a quarter-mile of the couple and the four children Sunday night.

The deputy didn’t follow the tracks because the dirt road was steep and he didn’t have backup in case he got stuck, Sparke said.

The family was found in good condition Tuesday after surviving temperatures around 16 degrees below zero. All were out of the hospital by Thursday.

Sparke said he doesn’t blame the deputy for the missed opportunity, but he wishes the deputy would have told supervisors he couldn’t complete the search so someone else could have done it.