A Bayside Lakes man has been missing since Monday morning, and his family says he left without medication he needs, turning the search into a race against time. The Palm Bay Police Department and the Brevard County Sheriff's Office are looking for the man, identified by his family as Archie Dave Richards, after he was last seen driving away from a neighborhood cafe.
Richards was last seen leaving the Family Tradition Cafe in Bayside Lakes at 7:45 a.m. Monday, according to WFTV. Police have not officially confirmed the identity of the missing individual, but his family has stepped forward to identify him and sound the alarm about his condition.
Family members reported that Richards is without necessary medication, creating what they described as a critical medical emergency. They told the station he was trying to make his way home to Malabar off Hall Road, and that he likely planned to take a route along Valkaria Road to get there.
A Grandson's Public Plea
Richards's grandson released a photograph showing his grandfather wearing a red shirt, hoping it would help jog someone's memory. “It would be great if you could get his photo on the news. He is in the red. His name is Archie Dave Richards,” the grandson said, per the station's report.
He urged anyone with information to contact emergency services immediately, stressing the urgency of the situation. The grandson said his grandfather was facing a medical emergency without his medication and that anyone who spots him should call 911 right away.
Search Continues for Bright Blue Tacoma
Richards drives a bright blue 2017 Toyota Tacoma, a detail investigators are hoping will help the public spot him on the road. Authorities located one unidentified driver overnight Monday, but the search for the missing man remained active as of the latest report.
The disappearance comes as Palm Bay grapples with separate, severe flooding that has strained local emergency crews. Brevard County sheriff's deputies and Florida Fish and Wildlife rescued more than 160 people on Monday amid the flooding, according to Florida Today, with rescues continuing into Tuesday. Palm Bay police separately confirmed to that outlet that two people were officially reported missing amid the flooding, and crews reported finding people stranded in cars as late as 2 a.m. Tuesday. No connection between those flood-related cases and Richards's disappearance has been established.
