FLAGLER COUNTY, Fla. (CBS12) — An elderly Palm Coast man was found clinging to life in a remote wooded area on Dec. 19 after spending several days pinned against a tree without food or water, according to the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office.
FCSO said that 72-year-old Allyn Schmidt was reported missing and endangered by family members on December 15. A Silver Alert was issued, and deputies launched an intensive search, interviewing local businesses and canvassing areas Schmidt was known to frequent.
For four days, there were no signs of Schmidt, until a crucial tip came in. Around noon on Dec. 19, a caller reported an abandoned vehicle in a remote area near North Old Dixie Highway, close to the St. Johns County line. Deputies quickly confirmed the vehicle belonged to Schmidt and began searching the surrounding woods on foot.
Bodycam video shows the moment Schmidt was found.
About 50 yards from the car, deputies discovered Schmidt unconscious but alive, according to the news release.
“I got him over here. I got him,” a deputy is heard saying.
**Viewer discretion is advised. Video may be shocking to some audiences.**
Investigators believe he had fallen against a tree, his neck pinned against the trunk, restricting his ability to breathe. He had likely been trapped in that position for several days, enduring overnight temperatures as low as 43 degrees Fahrenheit without food or water, according to FCSO.
Due to the isolated location, emergency medical crews could not reach the scene by ambulance. Acting quickly, deputies carried Schmidt back to his vehicle and drove him out of the woods to meet awaiting medical personnel.
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Sheriff Rick Staly praised the concerned citizen and deputies’ actions.
“A citizen that ‘saw something and said something’ along with quick thinking and resourcefulness of our deputies, without a doubt, saved this man’s life,” said Staly. “By using the victim’s car to transport him to paramedics, they saved minutes when seconds mattered. Ingenuity cannot be trained; I am proud to have deputies at the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office whose instincts are to act heroically in unforeseeable circumstances. I also thank the citizen that called to report a ‘suspicious vehicle.’”
Schmidt was transported to a local hospital for treatment. His current condition has not been released.
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