Authorities are conducting a search for a 54-year-old man with a history of congestive heart failure who went missing after his car broke down on Highway 101 south of Willits, near the CAL FIRE Howard Forest Station.
Complicating the situation is the heatwave bearing down on the region with the current temperature in Willits measuring 105°F
Scanner traffic indicates that the vehicle broke down around 12:30 p.m. with three occupants, two of whom are now being transported to Ukiah Valley Medical Center for heat exhaustion. The third person reportedly wandered off on foot to the west and has not been seen since.
Medical responders are on the scene, and initial steps to conduct a hasty search for the missing man are underway.
UPDATE 3:31 p.m.: Mendocino County Sheriff’s Office Captain Quincy Cromer told us that while authorities were investigating the circumstances the missing man arrived back at the broken-down car.
Please remember that this story is unfolding. Information is being reported as we gather it. However, some of the information coming from witnesses and initial official reports could be wrong. We will do our best to get the facts but, in the case that something is inaccurate, we will update with correct information as soon as we can.
Do we have a description? Photo of the missing gentleman? Anything?
He probably wandered away after doing poorly in the debate.