Santa Clara Police are asking the public for help finding Anthony Spanton, a missing adult last seen on September 14 in the 3000 block of Dorcich Street. Police have classified him as an at-risk missing adult, and anyone with information is being urged to call 911 immediately.
The notification, posted by Santa Clara Police
early Wednesday, describes Spanton as having black hair and green eyes, standing 5 feet 9 inches tall and weighing approximately 210 pounds. His clothing at the time he went missing is not known, according to the department's post. A Nixle alert titled “Missing Person,” linked from the Santa Clara Police Department's post, carried the same appeal for public assistance.
Dorcich Street is the location identified in the police alert. Westfield Valley Fair is located between San Jose and Santa Clara, according to Westfield Valley Fair. The available sources do not provide traffic-volume information for Dorcich Street or confirm nearby landmarks connected to the search. The available sources also do not provide the cited statewide pedestrian-fatality statistic.
What “At-Risk” Means Under State Law
California law gives police specific criteria for labeling a missing adult as at-risk. Under Penal Code Section 14215, officers can apply the designation when there are indications the person is mentally or cognitively impaired, in need of medical attention, has no history of disappearing, or is a suspected victim of foul play, per FindLaw. It remains unknown which specific factor led investigators to apply that classification to Spanton's case.
State law also shapes how quickly police must act once a report comes in. Agencies may not impose any waiting period before accepting a missing person report, and related coverage says at-risk adult cases must be entered into a database within two hours. The department then notified residents after Spanton was last seen.
A Familiar Pattern Near Winchester Boulevard
This is not the first at-risk missing adult case Santa Clara Police have publicized from the same stretch of the city this year. In August, the department issued a similar advisory for 59-year-old Seth Klein, who disappeared near North Winchester Boulevard, as reported by SFGATE. Hoodline covered that search in a prior missing-man alert. Statewide, the California Department of Justice tracks missing adult cases classified as “Lost.”
The department is headquartered at 601 El Camino Real, according to the City of Santa Clara. The supplied sources do not establish the department chief's identity or length of service. Officers have also emphasized that if the case worsens, state law under Government Code Section 8594.10 allows local agencies to request a regional Silver Alert through the California Highway Patrol for a missing adult with a developmental disability or cognitive impairment, or who is at least 65 and in peril.
How To Report A Sighting
Santa Clara Police have stressed that any urgent tip about Spanton's whereabouts should go straight to 911, not to social media comments or direct messages. The department also maintains a non-emergency dispatch line at 408-615-5580 for less urgent matters, and has specifically asked residents not to report police, fire, or medical issues on Twitter. Outreach for cases like this can run through Nixle, the community notification platform used by the department, according to the City of Santa Clara.
