Baldwin City man reported missing after hiking at Clinton Lake with his collie found just before Monday night's storm / LJWorld.com

A 79-year-old Baldwin City man who was reported missing earlier in the day was found Monday night west of Clinton Lake and taken to Lawrence Memorial Hospital for treatment.

Woodridge Park at Clinton Lake

Sgt. Steve Lewis, a Douglas County Sheriff’s spokesman, said that about 11 a.m. Monday, the man went to the Woodridge Park area on the northwest side of the lake for a hike with his dog.

Family members reported him missing Monday evening, and deputies began searching at 7 p.m., Lewis said. Staff members with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and Clinton Township Fire Department assisted.

Lewis said as a thunderstorm was approaching officers were preparing to suspend the search, but Clinton Township firefighters found the man at 9:30 p.m., before the storm hit. The man, whose name was not released, was taken by ambulance to Lawrence Memorial Hospital where he was treated for exhaustion and dehydration, Lewis said.

“The Sheriff's Office appreciated the assistance of the Corps of Engineers and Clinton Township Fire Department,” he said. “It was invaluable in our efforts to locate the missing individual.”

Deputies had found the dog, a collie, with the man’s vehicle when they initially arrived at the park. An officer took the dog the hospital to be reunited with the family. A hospital spokeswoman said Tuesday afternoon the man was in good condition at LMH.

jackpot 2 years, 8 months ago

4chewnut 2 years, 8 months ago

That's, umm, one heck of a headline.

Joe Hyde 2 years, 8 months ago

Wow, this was great rescue work by the Sheriff's Dept., Corps of Engineers Park Rangers and Clinton Township Fire. And especially by the man's family, for reporting their worries that triggered the search.

Having myself suffered two bad bouts of dehydration sickness while doing Corps of Engineers volunteer work at a federal lake in south Idaho, I know firsthand how disorienting and debilitating dehydration sickness is. There's only a short jump from that condition to full-blown heat stroke. Somebody 79 years old gets hit by dehydration sickness, it's bad news. This guy is very lucky he was rescued. Hope his recovery turns out well and he's soon out walking his pooch again.

Maybe he should stop in at Sunflower Outdoors downtown and have the folks there set him up with a lightweight day pack, one of the models that has a water bladder/suck tube? Into this day pack can also be stowed various emergency first aid and survival items that will let him not just look out for himself on future trail walks, he can render help to anyone he meets on the trails who is experiencing problems. Getting himself set up with a cell phone might not hurt, either.