Woman survives motorcycle crash, then disappears in Cascade Mountains

CHINOOK PASS, Wash. - Search and rescue teams are combing the mountains east of Chinook Pass for a woman who hasn't been seen since she and a companion survived a motorcycle crash there several days ago.

Kittitas County Undersheriff Clayton Myers says the woman, identified as Kaylean Johnson, 20, of Union Gap, was riding on a 1974 Harley Davidson motorcycle with 61-year-old Patrick Frawley of Yakima on June 23 when they were involved in a crash on a back road north of Highway 410 and plunged over an embankment.

Frawley walked out of the woods Monday at around 3 p.m. near the Woodshed Restaurant on Highway 410 and was transported to Yakima Memorial Hospital by ambulance with non-life threatening injuries, disoriented and dehydrated.

Frawley told Kittitas County detectives that, after the wreck, he and Johnson walked until dark, built a fire and spent the first night on a small landing. The next day, due to his health and slow pace, Johnson headed down to find help. That was the last time he saw Johnson. It took him two more days to work his way out.

A search was launched and a team located the crashed motorcycle and the fire pit where the two spent the first night. But there was no sign of Johnson.

Myers said the search effort has now been expanded to include more than 30 teams from Kittitas, King and Yakima counties using search dogs, 4-by-4 vehicles and horses to comb the rough terrain in the area.

In addition, helicopters from the King County Sheriff’s Office and the Yakima Training Center are searching the area, along with a rescue vehicle team from Kittitas County Fire District 7.

"We will continue to expand the search and bring in outside agencies as we are very concerned with the length of time Ms. Johnson has been missing," Myers said.

Johnson is described as standing 4-feet-11-inches tall and weighing 190 pounds. She was last seen wearing a pink tank top, shorts, and a Harley-Davidson jacket.

Anyone with any information on her whereabouts is urged to contact the Kittitas County Sheriff's Office at 509-925-8534.