Citrus Heights police said they were able to safely locate an “at-risk” missing man Tuesday morning, crediting an “alert citizen,” social media and a news report for aiding in the success of the search.
57-year-old Carlos Arvizu reportedly had last been seen on Monday afternoon and was classified as an at-risk missing person “due to the details of the incident,” according to an initial police news release sent out Monday evening. He had also reportedly suffered a “traumatic brain injury” in the past.
According to police, a citizen reported spotting the missing man near San Juan Avenue Tuesday morning, with responding officers confirming Arvizu’s identity and returning him back to his home. He did not require any medical aid and “appeared unharmed,” according to a followup police news release announcing the missing man had been located.
Police said the unnamed citizen who contacted police had been able to identify the man after recalling a local news article posted on social media, Monday.
Sgt. Mike Wells said the incident’s outcome “highlights the importance of relationships between law enforcement, local media, and the community.”
[Also on The Sentinel: 2 missing seniors prompt Citrus Heights PD to promo tracking tech]
As previously reported on The Sentinel, the Citrus Heights Police Department receives an average of about 50 missing person calls per month, which has led the Department to encourage at-risk persons with conditions like Alzheimer’s, dementia, autism and Down syndrome to be enrolled in a voluntary tracking program called “Project Lifesaver.”
In December, Citrus Heights police said they quickly located a 61-year-old missing man with dementia using the “Project Lifesaver” system to track a signal from a personal transmitter the man was wearing. The Department says the program is currently free for Citrus Heights residents, with each enrollee receiving a trackable radio frequency transmitter to wear around the ankle or wrist which enables police to help find the person, if reported missing.
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