Aerial search locates missing Moore County man

Emergency crews and volunteers search rugged terrain overnight near Petty Hollow Road before locating missing Moore County resident Clyde Farless alive early Saturday.

DUANE CROSS
MCO Publisher•Editor

After an overnight search that brought together several agencies and volunteers, an elderly Moore County man who went missing Friday afternoon was found safe early Saturday.

Moore County Sheriff Tyler Hatfield said the Communications Center got a call around 4:12 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 28 about a missing man with dementia. He was last seen at about 2:25 p.m. at a home on Petty Hollow Road. The missing man, 80-year-old Clyde Farless, was wearing a thin black jacket and black Nike sweatpants.

Sheriff’s deputies, the Moore County Volunteer Fire Department, and emergency medical services quickly started searching the area. K-9 units from Moore, Bedford, and Franklin counties joined in, along with the Tennessee Highway Patrol and many local volunteers.

The search went on through the night in tough conditions. Teams had to cross steep ground and thick brush in freezing temperatures. Around 2 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29, officials paused the search so tired crews could rest and warm up. They planned to start again at daylight.

Meanwhile, the Sheriff’s Office and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation prepared a Silver Alert for Farless and asked for help from the air. A TBI plane started searching the area around 3:30 a.m. At 3:50 a.m., the plane spotted a possible heat source and guided searchers to the spot.

Emergency crews got to the site around 4:07 a.m. and found Farless alive on a steep hillside. They brought him out safely and took him to a local hospital for a checkup and treatment. His condition has not been shared.

Sheriff Hatfield thanked everyone who helped with the rescue.

“On behalf of Moore County Emergency Services, we would like to thank Bedford County EMA, Franklin County EMA, the Tennessee Highway Patrol, TEMA, and the TBI for their assistance,” Hatfield said.

“We also thank the volunteers who brought their equipment, food, and drinks, and searched throughout the night in extremely cold temperatures to help bring Mr. Farless home safely.”