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J Cleland, Andrew Palmer, Brett Shirley

GWINNETT COUNTY, Georgia. – According to Gwinnett County police, officers are being hailed as heroes after successfully rescuing a missing elderly man who was found underwater in a creek near Interstate 85 in Buford.

The incident began on August 20 when officers responded to a 911 call regarding a missing 77-year-old man from Snellville.

Concerned family members reported the man, who may have been suffering from a mental disorder, missing along with his car. Using traffic cameras, officers spotted the man’s Chrysler Pacifica on the side of the road on northbound I-85 near Buford. Despite an initial search of the area, the man was not found, prompting officers to report him missing on Mattie’s Call, a hotline for missing disabled or elderly people.

The next morning, officers from the Gwinnett County Police Department’s North Precinct returned to the area for a more extensive search. While combing the edge of the woods along the highway, Sergeant Brett Shirley called for the missing man and received a response. Sergeant Shirley, along with Lt. John Cleland and Cpl. Andrew Palmer, went to the area where the voice had been heard and discovered the man lying in a creek after falling into the water and being submerged for several hours.

Officers quickly pulled the man from the water and obtained medical assistance from the Gwinnett County Fire Department. The man was then transported to a local hospital for treatment.