Lost Philadelphia Man, 97, Accidentally Drives To South Brunswick

SOUTH BRUNSWICK, NJ — A 97-year-old Philadelphia man got lost Wednesday and ended up accidentally driving all the way to South Brunswick Township. He was located by South Brunswick police yesterday evening 40 miles north of his home, and returned to his worried family after a day-long, frantic search.

Yes, Has Kompauer, 97 years old, still drives and even has a cell phone, his family told police. He left his home on Dorcas Street in Northeast Philadelphia at around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday and was following an ambulance to Holy Redeemer hospital. While it's unknown why he was following that ambulance, at some point Kompauer took a wrong turn — and then several more wrong turns. He ended up on the New Jersey Turnpike driving north into Middlesex County, South Brunswick police said.

Luckily, though, Kompauer had his cell phone with him. When he didn't show up at the hospital, his family contacted Philadelphia police, who were able to track his phone. They got a hit near Exit 8A off the Jersey Turnpike. Philadelphia police contacted South Brunswick PD and told them to be alert for a 2015 silver Chevy Malibu, and the message was broadcast to all South Brunswick patrol units.

Officer Michael Leung was directing traffic after a fender bender on Georges Road near Harvey Road at about 5:45 p.m. last night when he saw the silver Malibu drive past. He jumped in his squad car, pulled the car over and sure enough, found Kompauer behind the driver's seat. The older man was lost and tired, but otherwise fine. He was taken to police headquarters, where Philadelphia police were called and his family eventually came to pick him up. What did Kompauer have to say to Officer Leung back at the station house?

"Just don't get old."

Police credit the man's cell phone with locating him. "If your loved one is elderly and still going to drive, make sure they have a cell phone with them and have it turned on," said South Brunswick police Capt. Jim Ryan. "Or put a Locate My Phone app on there. Without technology, finding this man would have been very challenging."

Own work Author Ed Brown as Edbrown05/Wikimedia Commons