Game Warden K9 team rescue missing 90-year-old lost in deep woods

Game Warden Chad Robertson along with K9 Storm guide James Thomas out of woods early Saturday. (MDIFW photo)

TOWNSHIP E, Maine - Game Warden K9 Storm and Game Warden Chad Robertson located a missing 90-year-old man early Saturday morning after he had become lost while looking for artifacts.

James Thomas, of Mexico, Maine, had left a note stating to his family that he was headed to Township E in Franklin county to look for artifacts around old cellar holes and settlements. When he did not return Friday night, his family went to the area and saw that his truck was still at his camp but his ATV was missing.

Family members searched for him Friday night but were unable to find him, and contacted 911 at around 11:15 p.m, according to a Maine Dept. of Inland Fishies and Wildlife press release sent out on Sunday. The Maine Warden Service, Franklin County Sheriff's office and Border Patrol agencies responded and began searching the area.

At about 2:30 a.m. on Saturday morning, Game Warden Alex Maxsimic located Thomas' ATV, parked in some bushes beside a logging road several miles from the camp where the truck was parked. Game Warden Chad Robertson deployed K9 Storm in this area, and at 03:15 a.m., they located Thomas about a quarter mile from there.

Thomas was found uninjured, but was very cold, as he did not have winter clothing on. He had spent some time searching for objects in the area with his metal detector earlier in the day, but was unable to find his ATV when he attempted to return to his truck that evening. He then decided to walk to his truck, but without a working flashlight, he become lost in the woods while doing so. Temperature was 38 degrees and it was very windy. Game wardens warmed him up in a patrol truck and transported him back to his family.