After an eight-hour search, Gainesville Police and GFR officials found a missing 81-year-old man Wednesday morning after he walked out of his house the previous night.
Officials found Eddie Woulard, of 1312 NE 17th Ave., at about 7 a.m. Wednesday in the woods near the intersection of Northeast 23rd Avenue and Northeast Waldo Road, about a mile away from his home, said GPD spokesman Officer Ben Tobias.
The incident started when Woulard’s sister, Latrisha Woulard, reported Eddie Woulard missing at about 11 p.m. Tuesday, according to a GPD news release.
Because Woulard is elderly and suffers from dementia, he was considered an endangered missing person, which GPD officers treat differently from other missing person reports, Tobias said.
Young children or those who are believed to be missing because of criminal activity are also considered endangered, he said.
During the search for Eddie Woulard, Tobias said Gainesville Police notified local businesses and other police departments about the disappearance and posted information online to residents.
A Gainesville resident called Gainesville Fire Rescue at about 7 a.m. to report that someone, who was later identified as Eddie Woulard, was in the woods trying to light a fire for warmth.
When officials arrived at the woods, they found Eddie Woulard and later drove him to his house, Tobias said.
Contact Kathryn Varn at kvarn@alligator.org.
