Late-night search for missing La Pine man, 77, prompts emergency alert to residents, one of whom found him
(Update: More info on who received alerts)
La PINE, Ore. (KTVZ) – A 77-year-old La Pine man was reported missing from his home late Friday night, prompting a search by several agencies and the use of Deschutes County’s Emergency Preparedness Network to notify more than 150 area residents, one of whom found him on a nearby street.
The sheriff’s office was dispatched around 11 p.m. to the report of a missing man in the 15000 block of Twin Drive, Sergeant Jason Wall said.
“The male was believed to have diminished cognitive abilities,” Wall wrote in a news release, “and together with the inclement weather and cold temperatures, the Emergency Preparedness Network was utilized to notify citizens in the general vicinity to be on the lookout.”
A total of 165 area residents within a half-mile radius received the alerts, Wall said.
Bend and Sunriver police and Oregon State Police assisted in the search, providing a K-9 team and a drone, Wall said. The Sheriff’s Office Search and Rescue team also was activated to help.
The missing man was located around 1 a.m. Saturday by a homeowner on a nearby street, the sergeant said. "The male was found to be in relatively good condition, however, was evaluated by medics out of an abundance of caution,” Wall said.
You can find information about signing up for Deschutes Alerts at this web page.