Man With Cognitive Decline Found After Wrong Turn in Columbia County—Classic Hits 100.7 KLOG News

A man experiencing recent cognitive decline was found safe on Sunday after reportedly taking a wrong turn after crossing the Lewis & Clark Bridge.

The Columbia County Sheriff’s Office says a woman contacted Columbia County 9-1-1 Sunday evening to report that she had become separated from her father while they were traveling. She told dispatchers that he had recently been experiencing cognitive decline, that he did not have a phone with him, and that he was not familiar with the local area.

The man had reportedly been following them back to Long Beach; however, as they crossed the Lewis & Clark Bridge from Longview, he accidentally turned toward Rainier on Highway 30 rather than toward Astoria. Within minutes, this information was broadcast to public safety partners throughout Columbia County, and Sergeant Collin Brehm with the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office was able to locate his vehicle and the man in St. Helens. He was then reunited with his family.