Troopers Alissa Partyka and John Landowski were able to reunite a man with family yesterday evening after they had reported him missing on May 13th.
Trooper Partyka while on patrol, yesterday, Tuesday, May 14th, 2019, was sitting at a stoplight at Grant Street and West 11th in Gary when she was flagged down by a motorist in a gray passenger car. An elderly man began to ask for directions and because the light had turned green Trooper Partyka had the man pull into an empty lot. Trooper Landowski arrived shortly thereafter, and after speaking with the man they found him extremely confused. The elderly man also stated he was lost and that he was trying to get to southwestern Michigan where a relative lived but did not have a cell phone with him nor knew his relative's phone number. He also mentioned that he had been driving since early that morning and was running out of money.
After acquiring his Illinois driver’s license the troopers ran his license and realized that the elderly man (age 85) had been reported as missing/endangered through Loves Park Police Department in Illinois.
Contact was made with Loves Park Police who then made contact with the family. The gentleman was taken to the Lowell State Police Post where he was later reunited with his family. His vehicle was secured and driven to a safe location for a family member to retrieve.
The family was extremely thankful and happy that their loved one had been located and returned safely to them.