Winter Weather, Southern Gila/Tonto Nf Foothills
- When
- December 3, 2:00 PM MST to December 5, 5:00 PM MST
- Where
- Southern Gila/Tonto Nf Foothills forecast zone
- Deaths
- 0 direct, 1 indirect
- Reported by
- Law Enforcement
An elderly couple, Mr and Mrs Davis, left Globe on Thursday December 1st with the intent to drive northeast on US 60 to Socorro, New Mexico. They accidentally missed their turn and headed east on Highway 70. After realizing the mistake they attempted to rejoin US 60 by taking a remote forest road that appeared to reconnect with the highway. The road, most likely Indian Road 10 out of San Carlos, was remote and rocky. About 10 miles north on this road, and in very isolated high country, the vehicle became disabled after the transmission hit some rocks and broke. The couple attempted to wait in the car for help, and unfortunately a pair of cold and wet winter storms moved into southern Gila county and trapped them in their car. The storms brought locally heavy snow and very cold temperatures. Mr and Mrs Davis survived in the vehicle for 5 days with no food and water. While gas remained in the car, they periodically turned it off and on to generate heat. The vehicle ran out of gas on Tuesday December 6th and since the storms had passed the couple decided to try and reach the highway on foot. Detectives indicated that Elizabeth Davis only made it a few hundred feet before she collapsed and died. Mr Davis tried to revive his wife, then continued walking. He was eventually found by an officer from the Arizona Game and Fish Department near US 60 just before noon on December 6th. He was dehydrated, disoriented, but alive.