SANTEE MAN, BRYSON LUKACIK, MISSING FROM BIG BEAR VACATION AFTER POSSIBLE HEAD INJURY

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December 2, 2010 (Santee) – Santee resident Bryson Lukacik, 22, walked out of a vacation cabin at Big Bear shortly after midnight early on Saturday morning, November 27th. He told family members that he had fallen from a chairlift while snowboarding on Friday. The temperature was below freezing and a foot of snow was on the ground when he stepped out into the night.

He hasn’t been seen since. Lukacik, a graduate of El Capitan High School, is bipolar and does not have his medication with him.

He was staying in the cabin with his father, Joe Lukacik, and his father’s girlfriend.  The senior Lukacik said he heard a door open and went out looking for his son, but was unable to find him, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported.  Authorities believe that Lukacik left home on foot and was walking on Balsam Drive toward Bear Mountain. 
 

He was last seen wearing a blue pull-over sweater with Mickey Mouse on the front, jeans, black gloves, and blue shoes.
 

Family members believe he may have suffered a head injury and is possibly trying to return home to Santee. The Union-Tribune reports that a bus driver said someone who may have been Lukacik took the bus and got off at a Greyhound station in San Bernadino.
 

Sheriff’s deputies at Big Bear conducted a door-to-door search of cabins and also checked area hotels, businesses and hospitals. A search and rescue team and a helicopter also helped search the area. In addition, community volunteers are assisting in search efforts.
 

Lukacik's father told Rim of the World News that he was thankful for the support he's gotten from Big Bear Lake residents following his son's disappearance. "I've never seen anything like it," he said. "I can't believe how much they have helped doing everything from handing out fliers to assisting in the ongoing search. Thank you."
 

According to the Rim of the World News report, the senior Lukacik arranged to have six search and rescue dogs from San Diego join the search for his son.

Bryson Lukacik is 5 feet 10 inches tall, weighs 180 pounds, has black hair and brown eyes. According to the San Bernadino Sun, he has a tattoo on his chest that reads “Forever Forgiven.”
 

If you have information on his whereabouts, call the Big Bear Substation of the San Bernadino Sheriff’s Department at 909-866-0100.
 


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Comments

I am glad that search dogs

I am glad that search dogs are being used to find Mr. Lukacik. I do, however, hope that the dogs are scent specific trailing dogs so that they can start where Mr. Lukacik was last seen. These dogs should be working live scent, not just working areas searching for human remains (god forbid that he is deceased). But nonetheless, the dogs should be able to trail from the cabin where if I am not mistaken, I was told he was last seen at, and trail to where he is now. All of this can be done with trained dogs despite any snow / precipitation; despite the other people enjoying the recreational area; despite the contamination of the searchers; and despite the time that has passed.

There are several excellent resources available and the above is one of them that needs to be used. The above live scent trailing dogs will also work human remains but you need to trail to where the person is. Use the above resource in conjunction with others.

Prayers for Bryson Lukacik, his family. and those searching for him.