Elderly man found safe
By JOHN A. WINTERS
john@newnan.com
A 77-year-old Coweta County man missing since last Thursday was found safe Tuesday around 5 p.m., less than a mile from where he went missing north of Newnan.
“He was conscious and alert,” said Deputy Jeff Bugg with the Coweta County Sheriff’s Office, who found Roger Jarold Arnold along a gas line near the wood line on Creekview Road. “He was dehydrated and said he was a little cold.”
“Since last Thursday, we have engaged in numerous searches using the helicopter, K-9s, ATVs, and sending groups on foot in the area of Roscoe Road, the Bypass, and U.S. Highway 29,” Investigator Chad McDonald with the sheriff’s office said earlier Tuesday before Arnold was found. “We have also provided Mr. Arnold’s photograph to regional media outlets and contacted hospitals, shelters, and other community centers… we will engage in another large scale search in the morning.”
Bugg said Arnold was missing his glasses and his walking cane.
A deputy received a call from another man, Brian Anderson, who reported seeing an individual along the wood line who looked similar to Arnold’s description. Bugg said he was in the area and walked down about 400 yards where he made contact with Arnold, who was just sitting there. At the time, rescuers were handing out flyers in the area about Arnold’s disappearance.
“I was able to create a rapport with Mr. Arnold and kept him talking until the fire department and EMS arrived,” Bugg said, adding Arnold was taken to Piedmont Newnan Hospital for observation.
Earlier, authorities issued a Mattie’s Call, which was set up by the Georgia General Assembly in 2006 and is an emergency alert to help locate disabled or elderly people.
