Northern California storm: 12 people, 2 infants rescued in Nevada County

The Nevada County Sheriff’s Department’s search and rescue team expected to spend their Saturday celebrating the retirement of Sheriff Keith Royal, but a call for action changed plans.

In total, the team rescued 12 people and two infants, according to a news release from the department.

The team first responded to a call in the Grouse Ridge area in Nevada City, the release said, and while they were working to rescue the first group of stranded citizens, they received a second call to rescue a second group of citizens nearby.

A group of citizens offered the team assistance with two snow cats – a truck-sized vehicle built to drive through snow – and a plow truck.

“Even in the dark of night, in the woods, in a snow storm we have great people in our community,” the release said.

The area has been pelted by a weekend of rain, causing snow flurries in the Sierra. Caltrans has closed both directions of I-80 from Colfax to the Nevada state line after citing multiple spin outs and other accidents in the area.

This story was originally published January 6, 2019 at 5:24 PM.