A missing boy was located safely late Tuesday night, Jan. 27, following a coordinated response by local and state law enforcement agencies.
Officers of the Bellefontaine Police Department were dispatched shortly before 11 p.m. on a report of a missing boy from a residence in the city’s west end. Officers were advised the boy had left the home and was believed to be on foot and was possibly in a wodded area near the residence.
With dangerously cold overnight temperatures creating immediate safety concerns, officers quickly expanded the search effort. Police attempted to follow fresh footprints in the snow while additional agencies were contacted to assist.
The Logan County Sheriff’s Office provided deputies in the area, and the Ohio State Highway Patrol was preparing to deploy a helicopter along with additional troopers to assist in the search.
Before the helicopter arrived, a Bellefontaine police sergeant located the boy walking back toward the residence from a nearby wooded area and made contact. Officers safely escorted him home.
Bellefontaine EMS responded to evaluate the boy for any signs of hypothermia or frostbite. As a precaution, he was later transported to Mary Rutan Hospital for further evaluation.
Police said the incident appeared to stem from personal and family-related stress.
Hit-and-run crash reported on West Columbus Avenue
Police are investigating a hit-and-run crash reported Tuesday, Jan. 27, that occurred near the intersection of West Columbus Avenue and North Canby Street.
According to a police report, officers met about 12:50 p.m. with a woman in the BPD lobby who wished to report a crash that had occurred earlier in the day. The woman stated she was traveling westbound in the 100 block of West Columbus Avenue when her vehicle was struck by a black SUV traveling northbound on Canby Street.
The woman told officers both vehicles initially stopped and the drivers exchanged information before leaving the scene. After returning home, she decided to report the incident.
At the time of the crash, the woman was driving a red 2012 Honda Civic. The vehicle was struck near the driver-side front tire and sustained functional damage.
The woman provided police with information about the other driver.
Officers later contacted the suspected driver by phone. The man admitted to driving at the time of the crash and arranged to meet with officers to provide insurance information and to allow officers to inspect the vehicle.
No charges have yet been filed, and the incident remains under investigation.
