Brownwood LECSmPolice along with other county agencies were preparing for an announcement of a silver alert when a 70-year-old man who had been listed as a missing person overnight was found Tuesday morning.

According to Brownwood Police Sergeant James Kidd, Songbird Nursing Home resident Thomas “T. V.” Woodruff had been taken by nursing home staff to visit a relative at the Brownwood Regional Medical Center Monday around 2:00 PM and had agreed to call nursing home staff to come pick him up for return to the home when the visit was complete.  The nursing home is located in the medical area, a very short distance from the hospital.  At approximately 10:30 PM, when Woodruff had not contacted the nursing home and staff could not locate him at the hospital, the Brownwood Police Department was contacted to start a search for the missing man.

Sgt. Kidd stated that immediately BPD officers were dispatched to saturate the area around the hospital in efforts to search for Woodruff, but were unable to locate him.  Other Brown County law enforcement agencies were alerted to the missing and endangered elderly man.  Temperatures overnight were expected to fall below freezing.

“With an 8 hour head start, he could have been anywhere,” said Kidd.  “It’s better to be safe than sorry, to saturate the area and involve all the agencies.”

 

Friends and family were contacted along with residents at the apartment complex on Bluffview Drive where Woodruff lived prior to checking himself into the nursing home, according to Sgt. Kidd.

Kidd stated that hospital surveillance video which showed Woodruff getting into the car of a stranger.

Brown County Sheriff’s deputies found another prior address where Woodruff had lived and Deputy Mike Barr went to the address where he  was found at approximately 10:20 AM Tuesday at the 1700 block of Good Shepherd apartment complex.  Once law enforcement located Woodruff, he told them he went to stay overnight at a friend’s apartment on Bluffview Drive, according to Kidd.  Woodruff also told police that the friend drove him to McDonald’s for breakfast this morning and then to the Good Shepherd apartments Tuesday morning to look into renting an apartment as an alternative to living in the nursing home, said police.

After being found, Woodruff was interviewed and checked medically.

Sgt. Tracy Delgado stated that Sgt. Kidd was to be commended along with other BPD officers for a job well done, going to work quickly to find the missing man.  All Brown County law enforcement agencies and dispatchers as well as Texas Department of Public Safety and the Texas Rangers were also involved.

“Everybody did a great job and I appreciate the help of all agencies involved, everybody that called and showed concern or gave information,” said Delgado.

Delgado went on to say she was happy the man was found alive and well.

“It’s nice to have a happy story today.  We deal with so much tragedy, it’s so nice to have a happy ending,” said Delgado.

In other unrelated law enforcement arrests and reports:

Saturday, March 23

*4:49 PM – A Brown County Sheriff’s Deputy was dispatched to a residence on County Road 267 regarding a burglary.  According to the report, while the complainant was at the hospital with his wife, someone had been in their home without his consent.  When he arrived back at the residence later, he noticed the back door was standing open and that several items were missing from the home.

Monday, March 25

*1:00 PM – A Brown County Sheriff’s deputy met with a complainant who stated that a known male had accessed his corporate bank account without his permission.  No money was missing from the account; however a report was filed for fraudulent use/possession of identifying information.

*11:28 PM – Brownwood Police received a report of family violence from a complainant at the Brownwood Regional Medical Center emergency room.  The complainant stated that he was assaulted by his girlfriend earlier in the day and that he wished to pursue criminal charges against the suspect, the report states.

*Brown County Sheriff’s Office arrested 32-year-old Roberto Alcantar, Jr. of Abilene on a warrant for failure to appear related to driving while license invalid with previous conviction.

*Brown County Sheriff’s Office arrested 27-year-old Christopher Bostick on a parole violation.

*Early Police arrested 47-year-old Tony Curtis Goodman for driving while license invalid with previous convictions.

All arrestees are considered innocent until proven guilty in a court of law. Blotter information compiled from local law enforcement reports and jail records.