San Bernardino County honors L.A. County Sheriff’s first responders for efforts in search for rescuer

LOS ANGELES — Five first responders with the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department were presented with a Medal of Valor from the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department on Tuesday for their efforts in the search and recovery operation of an SBSD member who died while searching for a missing hiker from Irvine on Mount Baldy in December 2019.

Undersheriff Shannon Dicus of the SBSD presented the medals to Los Angeles County Air Rescue 5 Crew members Deputies Todd Kocisko, Scott Helbing, Steve Pratt and Jennifer Shepard and Sgt. Dave Carver for their bravery during the operation.

The five crew members were searching for SBSD Search and Rescue member Timothy Staples. The 32-year-old Staples was one of 126 people across 23 teams searching for Sreenivas “Sree” Mokkapati, who was reported missing on Dec. 8, 2019, after becoming separated from his group while ascending Mount Baldy.