UPDATED: San Ramon Man, 71, Found Safe

UPDATE:

A 71-year-old man who went missing while driving from the Bay Area to Palm Desert, turned up at his San Ramon home safe and sound Thursday.

Gerald Fitzsimmons, who suffers from suspected early stages of dementia, left his home in San Ramon about 8 a.m. Wednesday, and at about 8:30 p.m. that night, he called his brother for directions from near Interstate 10 at Monterey Avenue in Thousand Palms.

The cell phone signal died and Fitzsimmons had not been seen or heard from since, prompting relatives to call authorities.

Fitzsimmons returned home at 10 a.m. Thursday morning, healthy and in good spirits, Riverside County sheriff’s officials said.

The man told relatives that, after getting lost in the Coachella Valley and losing cell phone service, he decided to simply drive home.

ORIGINAL STORY AS FOLLOWS:

A 71-year-old San Ramon man was reported missing while en route to Palm Desert in Southern California on New Year’s Eve, according to the Riverside County Sheriff’s Department. Gerald Fitzsimmons left his home in San Ramon around 8 a.m. Wednesday to visit his brother in Palm Desert and at about 8:30 p.m., after reaching the Coachella Valley, he called his brother for specific driving directions, sheriff’s officials said.

His brother noticed Fitzsimmons was having a difficult time navigating and identifying his location but mentioned being in the area of Monterey Avenue and Varner Road in Palm Desert just moments before his cellphone apparently lost power and disconnected, sheriff’s officials said.

Fitzsimmons has not been seen or heard from since despite an extensive air and ground search of the area. Sheriff’s officials consider him at risk because of his health, which includes the suspected early stages of dementia.

Fitzsimmons is described as a white man about 6 feet 5 inches tall who weighs about 250 pounds, has blonde and white hair, blue eyes and light skin. He was last seen wearing a dark jacket, dark golf shirt and dark jeans and is believed to be driving a black 2015 Dodge Caravan with California license plate No. 7HBW715.

By Bay City News Service and City News Service.

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