A missing 77-year-old man was found safe Tuesday night after a roughly 2.5-hour search by Oak Ridge and Anderson County authorities, and neighbors.
The man was reported missing just before 9 p.m. Tuesday in the Rivers Run neighborhood in east Oak Ridge.
The man’s family became concerned when he did not return home from his daily walk by dusk, the Oak Ridge Police Department said in a press release. They were unable to find the man during a search of his normal route to Haw Ridge Park, so they called the Oak Ridge Police Department for help.
A team from the Oak Ridge Police Department and Oak Ridge Fire Department responded to search the surrounding area, the press release said. Crews also called in a scent-tracking dog and handler from the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department to aid in the search.
Around 11:40 p.m. Tuesday, a family member called 911 to notify police that a neighbor who had joined the search effort was able to locate the missing man, the press release said. They relayed their location to the search team, and firefighters immediately responded, the release said.
The missing man was not hurt. He told rescuers he had fallen in the mud and was unable to get home, the press release said. He also did not have a cell phone with him to call for help.
The man, whose identity has not been released, was then quickly reunited with his family.
“Oak Ridge police and fire departments would like to thank the Anderson County Sheriff’s Department for their assistance as well as a number of neighbors in the area who ultimately helped locate the missing man,” the press release said.
More information will be added as it becomes available.
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