Missing Redmond man, 74, found in Gilliam County
(Update: Missing Redmond man found; correcting scene of disappearance – Pendleton, not La Grande)
A 74-year-old Redmond man reported missing Tuesday evening after driving away from a Pendleton Walmart parking lot was stopped in nearby Gilliam County and later reunited with his family, authorities said.
Police in Eastern Oregon had been advised to be on the lookout for a white Ford F-350 pickup driven by David Little.
Officers said Little traveling was with his wife and sister to La Grande when they stopped at the Pendleton Walmart and the women went inside, leaving Little in the pickup with their dog, a Maltese named Rocco.
According to family members, Little suffers from dementia.
Pendleton Police Chief Stuart Roberts said Little’s wife called authorities around 6:30 p.m., prompting a teletype alert to all law enforcement in the region to watch for the truck.
About three hours later, Roberts said, a Gilliam County sheriff’s deputy spotted Little’s pickup, stopped and detained him. He was taken to Good Shepherd Medical Center in Hermiston for evaluation and to reunite with his family.