Man, 81, went out for pizza, turned up in Indiana

Margo Rutledge Kissell, Staff Writer Updated 9:07 PM Saturday, October 10, 2009

HARRISON TWP. — An 81-year-old Dayton man with Alzheimer’s disease who had been missing for more than 24 hours was found safe Saturday, Oct. 10, in a small Indiana town 80 miles away where he had run out of gas.

Paul Youngerman had been reported missing to Dayton police at 4:41 p.m. Friday after his wife said he had gone out to pick up a pizza at Marion’s Piazza on North Dixie Drive in Harrison Twp. but didn’t return.

He was found about 5:40 p.m. Saturday in Knightstown, Ind., a town of 2,100 residents about 36 miles west of Richmond.

Knightstown Police Chief Danny Baker said Youngerman’s concerned family members were on their way to pick him up. The elderly man appeared in good condition but very confused, he said.

Youngerman’s daughter, Pam Kimmel, was thankful he was OK.

“Oh, my heavens, you don’t know how bad,” she said. “It’s been a long 24 hours.”

After Youngerman had run out of gas on a state route south of Knightstown, a nurse who had been passing by checked him out and got him a couple of gallons of gas, the police chief said. A police officer who was sent out to assist directed Youngerman to a gas station in town but then noticed the man did not stop and kept driving out of town.

When the officer turned on his lights — and later his sirens — Youngerman continued to drive until the police chief came to assist the officer. He was able to get Youngerman to stop the beige 2001 Buick LeSabre by pulling in front of him.

When questioned, Youngerman said he had been visiting his wife in rehab but couldn’t remember which hospital when the chief asked. When Baker asked what town, Youngerman responded, “I can’t remember.”

Baker said, “I told him 'You follow me. We’re going back to get you gas.’”

The chief said he used that as an opportunity to start making some phone calls. “All the red flags went up on this one,” he said.

Youngerman provided a correct home phone number but when the chief called it, the line was busy.

Using the man’s driver’s license, Baker called Dayton police and learned Youngerman was missing. The chief later connected by phone with the family, who expressed tremendous relief that he was OK.

“We don’t know how he ended up there,” Kimmel said. “I’m just glad they found him.”

Kimmel said her mother had been in rehab at a nursing home after having open heart surgery three weeks ago and had just returned home Monday.

Kimmel said that while her mother was away, her father had stayed with her. He has not been driving very much but offered to pick up the pizza from the restaurant because it was less than three miles away and he assured his wife he knew where he was going.

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