Sunriver searchers find missing, drunk Eugene man

A 32-year-old reportedly drunk Eugene man was found by searchers Sunday morning, about four hours after he left a home wearing just shorts and T-shirt and carrying only a towel, police said.

Sunriver officers responded shortly after 2 a.m. to an address on Cypress Lane on the report of a missing intoxicated man, Sgt. Joe Patnode said.

Friends at the home advised that Nate Johnson had been in a hot tub before running from the location without shoes, dressed only in shorts and a T-shirt while holding a towel, the sergeant said.

A Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office K-9 team was called in and tried a track of Johnson but was unable to find him.

Sunriver police and members of the resort community’s incident response team searched the area for about three hours, until sheriff’s office Search and Rescue unit volunteer could take over the search, Patnode said.

Johnson was found shortly after 6 a.m., calling for help outside a home and suffering from exposure to the elements. He was evaluated by Sunriver EMS medics and released into the care of his friends.

Patnode said Sunriver police want to thank the assisting agencies and volunteers who helped search for Johnson.