advertisement

‘He had been wandering all night’: Forest preserve police lauded for finding man missing in frigid conditions

Two veteran Lake County Forest Preserves police officers have been honored for their dedication and effort to find a 60-year-old man with autism who had been lost overnight while the temperature dipped below freezing.

Sgt. Brad Ehrhardt was presented with the Service Award and Officer Michael Viramontes received the Lifesaving Award as special recognition during the forest board meeting Wednesday.

Both were cited for their roles in finding a man who had been reported missing from his home on Kilbourne Road about 9 p.m. Nov. 29.

The man’s hoodie and gloves were found in Wadsworth Savanna, a dense area with no dedicated trails, thick brush and trees. Several agencies using a police dog and drone searched unsuccessfully for six hours before temporarily ending the search.

According to the district, the temperature overnight was 12 degrees.

The next morning, Ehrhardt organized and led a second search with a team of forest preserve officers.

About 10 a.m. after roughly two hours of searching, Viramontes found the man standing in a wooded area near train tracks at the southern end of the preserve. The man told authorities he started walking in the preserve as night fell but got lost and couldn't find his way home.

“He had been wandering all night,” said Cmdr. Scott Banaszynski. “Thankfully, he kept moving, which likely saved his life by helping him stay warmer than if he had stopped or fallen asleep in the freezing conditions.”

The man was treated for frostbite and an irregular heartbeat at Advocate Condell Medical Center in Libertyville and is said to be recovering well.

Ehrhardt has been on the force 19 years. Viramontes has been part-time and now full-time for a combined 17 years. Both received framed copies of the commendations from forest preserve President Jessica Vealitzek.

Article Comments
Guidelines: Keep it civil and on topic; no profanity, vulgarity, slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about tragedies will be blocked. If a comment violates these standards or our terms of service, click the "flag" link in the lower-right corner of the comment box. To find our more, read our FAQ.