South Sound News

Rochester woman missing since Tuesday found trapped in car down embankment

GRAYS HARBOR COUNTY, Wash. — A 70-year-old Rochester woman who had been missing since Tuesday was found Sunday afternoon, according to a Thurston County Sheriff's Office sergeant.

Sharon Lee Leaming was found alive after her vehicle had gone over a 40-foot embankment in Grays Harbor County on U.S. Highway 12 just north of Oakville, said Sgt. Dave Odegaard.

Leaming was driving a 1993 Chevrolet Lumina four-door car at the time of the crash.

Leaming was last seen Tuesday morning when she left her home to drive to a family property in North Cove, Washington.

When her family realized she was missing, a search began from Grays Harbor, where Leaming was on vacation, to her home in Rochester.

"My cousin Bob was walking the road, instead of driving the road, and saw the grass was down and so he called my cousin Jerry and went searching down the ravine," said Leaming's niece, Tiffany Kolb.

Family said Leaming survived by eating what little water and food she had in the car including a banana and pop tarts.

She is recovering at St. Joseph Medical Center, according to Washington State Patrol.

A

GoFundMe account

has been set up for Leaming.