Missing Teen Located After Interstate 80 Tracking, Two Arrested
Wyoming Highway Patrol troopers located a missing female minor on November 29 after tracing cellphone pings to a vehicle traveling west on Interstate 80 between Laramie and Rawlins. Two adults were arrested and charged, a case that underscores the importance of rapid law enforcement coordination for Albany County families and travelers on the interstate.
%3Amax_bytes(150000)%3Astrip_icc()%3Afocal(771x249%3A773x251)%2Fmarissa-dinapoli-7725-3613a110b70b4a2b92bf56193563ed69.jpg&w=1920&q=75)
On November 29 troopers responded to a BOLO alert for a missing female minor who was believed to be traveling with a 20 year old male wanted on drug charges out of Two Rivers Wisconsin. Using cellphone pings, troopers tracked the suspected vehicle westbound on Interstate 80 between Laramie and Rawlins. A trooper located and stopped the vehicle just outside Sinclair and identified the missing teen.
The juvenile was found with two adults who told officers they had been hired to transport her to Utah. Both men were taken into custody and have been charged with kidnapping and interference with parental custody. Captain Mike Simmons of Wyoming Highway Patrol District 1 praised the teamwork of troopers and dispatchers in locating the girl and bringing her home safely.
The case highlights several issues of immediate relevance to Albany County residents. The investigation involved interstate elements, including a suspect wanted in Wisconsin and travel planned toward Utah, which required quick coordination among local troopers and communications staff. The use of cellphone pings demonstrated how modern investigative tools can shorten response times on a busy east west corridor that many local residents use for commuting and commercial travel.
For families in the county the incident serves as a reminder to report missing persons promptly and to provide as much information as possible to dispatchers and investigating officers. For motorists on Interstate 80, the episode shows how troopers monitor long stretches of highway and may make stops just beyond county lines as part of broader safety operations.
Authorities have charged the two adults and the investigation proceeded through the criminal process. The swift recovery of the minor offered immediate relief to those involved and reinforced the role of coordinated law enforcement and emergency communications in protecting vulnerable residents. Local officials said the community should remain vigilant and support efforts to keep the interstate safe for all travelers.
