- April 15, 2024
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William Nicholson Wheat has been found. (Photos courtesy of the FCSO)
William Nicholson Wheat has been found. (Photos courtesy of the FCSO)
William Nicholson Wheat has been found. (Photos courtesy of the FCSO)
UPDATE: Sept. 14
Missing Palm Coast resident William Nicholson Wheat, 79, was found Tuesday, Sept. 13, according to a Flagler County Sheriff's Office news release. When he was reported missing Monday, Sept. 12, a statewide Silver Alert was issued to notify all Florida residents that he was missing.
Wheat, who has dementia, was found shopping at a Sam's Club store located off Colonial Boulevard in Orange County. A sharp employee recognized him after seeing bulletins that he was missing from Flagler County. The employee brought him to the store manager's office. From there, the Orange County Sheriff's Office was contacted and then Wheat's wife, Donna, was notified. She called the Flagler County Sheriff's Office's Communications Center at 5:12 p.m. with the news that he was safe.
Wheat also has chronic health issues and was without important medication. Donna Wheat plans to pick up her husband Wednesday, Sept. 14. The night of Sept. 12, he was expected to stay at a local hospital until she can arrange to retrieve him.
The FCSO is very grateful that an alert employee at Sam's Club helped the Wheat family recover their missing husband and father. And thank you to the Orange County Sheriff's Office for helping this missing persons case have a happy ending.
ORIGINAL STORY: Sept. 12
Deputies are seeking the public’s help to locate a 79-year-old Palm Coast man who is considered missing and endangered, and has dementia.
A statewide Silver Alert was issued at 3 p.m. Monday, Sept. 12, for William Nicholson Wheat, a resident of Llewellyn Trail in Palm Coast, according to a Flagler County Sheriff’s Office news release.
Wheat has also been entered into a national database as missing. Anyone who sees him is asked to contact local law enforcement, or the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911.
Wheat was last seen Sunday, Sept. 11, at 3 p.m. at his home in Palm Coast.
He last spoke with his wife, Donna, at 7 p.m. Sept. 11 and is believed to be driving a 2015 blue Dodge Ram 1500 two-door truck with Florida tag 873-8HV.
Wheat is described as white, 5’11” tall and 130 pounds, with gray hair, blue eyes and surgical scars on both sides of his neck. He was last seen wearing a red shirt, jeans and dark shoes.
Wheat and his family also have a home in Putnam County, and Wheat often drives back and forth between homes. A family member was going to drive the route today to see if he could locate Wheat, but Putnam County officials were asked to check the home there and Wheat was not located.
Wheat also has a cousin in Foley, Alabama, and might be driving there.
Flagler County Sheriff’s Office deputies have contacted area hospitals between Volusia, Flagler, Putnam and St. Johns counties, but he has not shown up at any of those facilities.
Deputies contacted the Florida Department of Law Enforcement and asked for a Silver Alert to be generated, and a Silver Alert was activated.
The Silver Alert system uses the media and dynamic message signs along Florida roadways to alert citizens of the missing person and the vehicle they were last seen driving.
For more information on Florida’s Silver Alert program, please visit floridasilveralert.com.
Anyone who sees Wheat is asked to call local law enforcement immediately, or the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office at 386-313-4911.
