PEORIA, AZ — A Peoria woman is recovering after being rescued from a crash in a remote desert area.
The Peoria Police Department said an older woman suffering from dementia took her family's vehicle and disappeared.
The family had placed an AirTag on the SUV, allowing them to narrow down the vehicle's last known location to the barren Northern Peoria desert.
Peoria's Real Time Crime Center utilized technology to search the broad area for signs of the vehicle.
The SUV was spotted after going over a retention wall. It was hidden in a location that would have been difficult to find from the ground.
Police located the woman with minor injuries, and Peoria Fire-Medical provided care.
"This is exactly why we invest in our people, partnerships, and technology," Police Chief Thomas Intrieri said. "When someone in our community is in crisis, every second matters. Preservation of Life is at the core of our mission. As a result of the collaboration and strong working relationship we have with the Glendale Police Department and our Team, coupled with the technologies the City of Peoria has invested in, this woman was in an area where she may not have survived the night. I’m incredibly proud of the professionalism and urgency shown by everyone involved. This is what it means to serve with purpose when it matters most."
