An 85 84-year-old man who has been missing since yesterday was found lying in a creek this morning beneath a fallen tree off Fisher Road in Oakfield.
A third-party caller reported this to dispatch around 10 a.m. Oakfield Fire Department was dispatched as were Mercy medics since it was not yet known if the man was injured, but still alive.
Responders discovered the body, which was well off Fisher Road between Lockport and Maltby roads.
The coroner is en route. Family members are at the scene as are Sheriff's investigators.
UPDATE 11:30: (Provided by Howard at the scene) The victim's name is Lavern Bridge, who lived alone at 6624 Fisher Road, according to Deputy Chief Gordon Dibble. The man's son last spoke to him on Wednesday at 3 p.m. A friend told investigators Bridge's normal routine was to have breakfast with him and when Bridge didn't show up this morning, his friend went looking for him and found Bridge's ATV first and then his body nearby. Bridge had been cutting down a tree and a chainsaw was found next to his body. The tree appears to have fallen and hit his head, Dibble said. Emergency responders describe his back yard as "park like." Dibble said that family members told him Bridge loved taking care of his yard and kept it well maintained.
UPDATE 11:41 a.m.: Oakfield is back in service.
Such a sad story. My
Such a sad story.
My condolences and comforting thoughts go out to his family. How frightening this must have been. He obviously was a wonderful man.