Update: Dog and little girl reunited after car accident

Posted: 6:18 am, June 20, 2018 by Reporter Cassandra Frey

Update posted June 19

Sophie and Olivia have been reunited, thanks to the citizens of Paso Robles. According to posts on the “Find Sophie” Facebook page, chihuahua was located Monday afternoon and appeared to be doing fine, despite being alone since Thursday.

Sophie was found after wandering into the garage of a home on Mustang Springs Road Monday where a man was working.

The dog’s owner, Lindsay Beery shared on her Instagram, “From the bottom of my heart and soul, THANK YOU to each and every volunteer, friend, friend of friends, strangers who shared our story, first responders and bystanders who helped us survive this whole ordeal and reunite my baby with her best friend Sophie the dog! I only wish I could somehow repay the kindness, support, and love we have received from the entire community of Paso Robles and beyond. I think this just goes to show that no matter what the situation; the power of love and PRAYER conquers all. THANK YOU!!!!!!”

A member of the “Find Sophie” Facebook page shared, “I would like to thank each and every individual that was instrumental in finding Sophie. Without YOU this may have had a different ending. I wish I could list every individual that assisted in the search, but that would be impossible. There were so many heroes involved! I would like to create a list of names of everyone who came out and searched for Sophie. It truly amazes me how many caring and compassionate people took time out of the last five days to search for sweet Sophie. Including the several dads that spent Father’s Day searching for a little 15-pound dog.

Some of our volunteers tracked through the muddy, unsanitary, disgusting river; encountering some unsafe situations. Others stomped through steep terrain with a knee-high brush that included rattlesnakes, coyotes and other wildlife. Each and every volunteer did this out of love for the Beery Family. We have the most amazing community; I’m so proud to call home” Shared Shelly Wilson Reeger.

Sophie, Olivia, and Lindsay Beery

Accident at Hwy 46 East offramp leaves small child injured and pet dog missing

—A young woman and her injured daughter are asking the community of Paso Robles to help them search for their missing black and tan chihuahua dog, Sophie, after a traumatizing car accident Thursday morning. The crash occurred at 11 a.m. on June 14 at the Hwy 101 offramp towards Hwy 46 East.

Lindsay Beery and her four-year-old daughter Olivia were traveling through Paso Robles from Seaside, CA with their Chihuahua Sophie. Beery had come to a complete stop at the red light, and was waiting to turn right when another driver rear-ended her Honda CRV at what she states, “Felt like 50 miles per hour.”

Olivia and her dog, Sophie.

Lindsay Beery’s vehicle.

Beery’s vehicle smashed into the car ahead of her, and then immediately spun out and rolled down the embankment, into a ravine, severely injuring her daughter and causing unknown injuries to herself. A total of three vehicles were involved in the crash, and the mother suspects texting and driving to be the cause. The California Highway Patrol states that the child was unrestrained at the time of the crash, Beery later told officers her daughter had climbed out of her car seat, and into the back of the car while waiting at a red light on the off-ramp.

After they exited the vehicle, their dog Sophie jumped out of the car window and ran away, down the riverbank in fear. She was last seen wearing a pink collar.

The child was taken by ambulance to Sierra Vista Regional Medical Center in San Luis Obispo, and the girl’s injuries required a transfer later in the night to the Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera, near Fresno. “Olivia is a sweet, huge, animal loving, horse-back riding girl,” shared Olivia’s grandmother Lisa Long. “Her dog Sophie is her best friend.”

The injuries Olivia sustained include several broken ribs, a punctured lung, and her front teeth knocked out. An MRI shows that she has a fracture on a vertebra in her spine, and will need to be in a body cast for six weeks. The young child is awake between sedation, asking for her dog Sophie, as the swelling in her face subsides, she is dealing with the trauma very bravely. Olivia is doing well but will need to see an oral surgeon eventually to fix her teeth.

In the meantime, The Beery family hopes to spread the word that their dog is very frightened and alone and if she is spotted to please contact them immediately. “I feel lucky to be alive, and can’t believe what just happened to us, it makes you look at life a lot differently and it has given me a whole new perspective.” Stated Beery.

Lindsay Beery shared on her Facebook page; “Friends and family, Olivia and I were involved in a very serious car accident this morning exiting North on 101 turning right for Hwy 46. We were rear-ended by an SUV at a red light and our vehicle went flying down the embankment. Olivia is in the hospital with 3 broken ribs; she also had her front teeth knocked out. Other than that she is stable and resting and we will be transferring her to Valley Children’s Hospital in Madera shortly. I seem to be okay other than cuts and bruises. Sophie jumped out of the back of the car to follow us and ran off the scene of the accident; if anyone is in the Paso Robles area or has friends down there please please please share the post about Sophie below and help us find her!!!! We are very shaken but thankfully alive; once we have Sophie back we will truly be okay. Olivia is on pain meds and asking for Sophie so please please help us find her. I will update when I can with more information but for now please just pray for us and try to help us find our Sophie.”

Sophie

California Highway Patrol and the Paso Robles Police Department are also actively looking for the missing dog, and the CHP states that no drugs or alcohol are suspected in the crash.

To report sightings or tips to help find the dog, please call the Templeton CHP office at (805) 434-1822, the Paso Robles Police Department (805) 237-6464, or SLO County Animal Services (805) 781-4400. Linsday can be reached at (951) 496-0194 and her husband Paul Beery at (908) 433-7335.