In a turn of events that surely brought relief to concerned family members and the community, the Clarksville Police Department announced on their Facebook page that 78-year-old Dickie Charles Smith has returned home safely. "UPDATE: Mr. Smith has returned home, and he is safe. Thank you for your assistance in this matter," read the social media update, signaling an end to a search that caused a stir within the community.
Before his return, Mr. Smith was last seen at his residence on Jenny Lane at around 9:30 a.m. on the morning of his disappearance. With gray hair, standing 5'10" tall and weighing approximately 200 pounds, he became the subject of an urgent appeal from the local enforcement agency. Traveling to Florence, Alabama, to meet friends, a call at 1:30 p.m., he suggested a change in plans due to not feeling well, which announced the intention of the troubled man to return home.
Concern had escalated when Mr. Smith, whose family members indicated may be experiencing early-onset dementia, did not immediately return as expected. In response, Clarksville Police had teamed up with the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to issue a Silver Alert, an increasingly familiar protocol designed to assist in locating at-risk adults, particularly those with cognitive impairments.
The details of Mr. Smith's brief disappearance and subsequent safe return are spare, but the outcome is undoubtedly welcomed.
