A 78-year-old Clark County man with memory issues never made it to a friend's house on Old Springfield Road in South Charleston Saturday evening, prompting a statewide alert from local deputies. Gerald S. Walters was last seen around 6 p.m. driving away from his home toward that friend's residence, and he has not returned home or reached his destination.
The Clark County Sheriff's Office issued an Endangered Missing Adult Alert for Walters after he failed to arrive as expected, according to the Springfield News-Sun. Walters is described as five feet eight inches tall, weighing approximately 298 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. He was last seen wearing blue and red plaid pajamas and a black shirt, an unsettling detail for a man believed to be driving on rural roads well after dark.
Walters was driving a red 2014 Ford Explorer with Ohio license plate HHB 3509 when he was last seen, per the sheriff's office. WHIO reported that the vehicle shown in the alert image was not the vehicle involved, meaning residents scanning for Walters should focus on the make, model, color, and plate number.
Why the Alert Skips the Cell Phone Blast
Unlike the AMBER Alerts issued for missing children, the alert for Walters was an Endangered Missing Adult Alert. The alert's designation distinguishes it from an AMBER Alert.
The alert was activated after Walters, 78, failed to arrive at a friend's home.
Walters' Case
Walters' case involves a missing adult over age 65.
Walters was expected at a friend's home on Old Springfield Road in South Charleston, and locating his Explorer quickly matters.
The Clock Matters for Memory-Impaired Seniors
The search for Walters remains urgent because he has memory issues.
Walters' memory issues add urgency as Clark County searchers work to locate him.
Anyone with information on Walters' whereabouts is asked to contact the Clark County Sheriff's Office at 937-328-2560 or call 911.
