112707corley

7 Hour Search for Missing Alzheimer’s Patient is Successful

FORT OGLETHORPE, GA – At about 7:00 AM, Tuesday, November 27, 2997, Catoosa County, Georgia
authorities were notified of a missing person from an address on Corley Avenue near Page Road. The
Catoosa County Sheriff’s Department responded and requested the assistance of Fort Oglethorpe Fire
& Rescue for a search.

The missing man was a 46 year old hospice patient. The man is suffering from Alzheimer’s and several
other major medical issues. He was reported to have last been seen at home sometime around 2:00 AM
and discovered missing shortly after 5:00 AM. Family members searched the neighborhood first and
then notified authorities. The subject was reported to be barefoot and in pajamas. The overnight lows
hit the upper 30’s and morning temperatures got no higher than the 45 degree range.

Fort Oglethorpe Engine 1, Rescue 1 and Truck 10 responded to the initial call for help along with
Deputy Chief Merv McDonald. A command post was initiated in front of the home and a search
commenced. All of the streets, yards and wooded areas in a several block radius were checked and
double checked. Sheriff’s Deputies from Catoosa County and firefighters knocked on doors and
searched unsecured areas under houses and open out buildings. Convenience stores were checked
and other jurisdictions were notified to watch for the subject. Although he was described as quite weak
and unable to walk long distances, authorities were concerned that he might have somehow found the
strength to move a long distance or that he had been picked up by someone in the middle of the night.

After several hours of searching, authorities were notified that he might possibly have been trying to get
to an old homestead where he said he wanted his ashes spread when he died. The reporting party said
there was a trail leading to that area and firefighters walked to the area where the trail was said to be
located. It was no longer there because of new construction but footprints from bare feet were located
in the mud in this area. They were followed for a ways and then lost. An all out search was made of the
“old homestead” with negative results.

At about 3:00 PM, as search teams began to re-check areas, word came in that more muddy footprints
had been found in an area where the command post had been shifted to. Sheriff’s deputies followed
these prints to an apartment building and eventually the subject was located in an apartment where it
was alleged he had been sleeping all day. The unidentified tenant of the apartment was not at home at
the time. At this point it is unclear how the man was able to enter the apartment or exactly how long he
had been there. The man appeared to be uninjured but very confused. He was checked by medics from
Angel EMS and released to his family.

Fort Oglethorpe Engine 8, Engine 10, Catoosa County Engine 3 and Hamilton County, Tennessee
based STARS (Special Tactics and Rescue Service) assisted in the search.