PONDERAY - A search Tuesday afternoon for a young woman in the Black Rock area near Ponderay ended with her being found safe - but under arrest for outstanding warrants.

According to Ponderay Police Chief Michael Hutter, an initial request for a welfare check by a concerned local resident turned into a search effort involving several local agencies. A helicopter crew joined law enforcement and firefighters in an hour-and-a-half search before the woman, whom law enforcement declined to name, was safely located at her home.

"The good part about this whole incident was the excellent cooperation between all the different local agencies," Hutter said.

The situation began when a resident reported seeing a male and female couple walking near the railroad tracks at Black Rock. According to Hutter, the citizen was concerned by the woman's behavior and reported seeing an electrical or telephone cord wrapped around her neck. The woman was described as being in her early 20s, very small in height and build and wearing pink.

When Ponderay police officers investigated the scene, they found a white pickup truck with another bystander. The individual, who knew the couple, said they had crossed the railroad tracks into the wooded area. That complicated the situation, because the heavily overgrown area provided many blind spots, Hutter said.

"The woods are so dense down there, a person could very easily hide if they wanted," he added.

Furthermore, many people walking the Pend d'Oreille Bay Trail were wearing pink, leading to several false sightings. As time progressed, more agency resources were called in to assist in the effort.

Hutter said the search proved fruitless until Northside Fire District firefighters spotted an individual who matched the woman's description walking past the station.

From that sighting, officers were able to track her to her residence and confirm her safety. In discussions with officers, she denied that she posed any risk to herself, Hutter said. However, she also had outstanding warrants of attachment - usually issued for failure to appear in court or pay fees - and officers arrested her and brought her in for further questioning.

The search effort brought contributions from several local agencies. Ponderay Police Department, Sandpoint Police Department, Bonner County Sheriff's Office, Bonner County EMS and Northside Fire District all joined forces to track down the missing individual, Hutter said.