Watch CBS News

Missing Ski Instructor's Father Wants Privacy Rules Eased For Search And Rescue Efforts

By Abbott Dutton

SUGAR BOWL (CBS13) — The search for a missing Davis ski instructor has been called off after a five-day operation to find him.

Carson May, 23 was last seen on Thursday at Sugar Bowl Ski Resort near Norden. Crews began their search on Friday after a friend said he never made it home.

It's too soon for his father, Mike May, to talk about how the search for his son has been suspended, but he presses that better technology and faster access to that technology could have helped him in this situation.

May says the search crews did an amazing job, but believes they would have been more successful with better technology.

"I wouldn't say preventable," he said. "Love to see search and rescue add to the technology—earlier that would be good."

Pings from Carson's cellphone led searchers to a general area before the phone's battery died on Friday afternoon.

May wants privacy laws suspended during searches so phones and passwords could be easily searched. He also believes a device that intercepts cellphone communications by pretending to be a tower called a Stingray should be used at all ski resorts.

With every moment counting, he says spending time in court trying to get access to records could hinder rescue efforts.

"Potentially could have been brought to this location to pinpoint Carson's phone in that first 30 hours the battery was operating," he said.

More than 400 search and rescue crews searched Sugar Bowl for the missing ski instructor.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.