Gallia and Meigs first responders work together to find missing Gallia man

CHESHIRE – First responders from Gallia and Meigs Counties were searching for a man that had gone missing while looking for some loose cattle last night.

Gallia County Sheriff Matt Champlin announced that Charles E. Withee, 78, of Rio Grande, was reported missing by his wife at approximately midnight on February 28, 2017. Mrs. Withee told dispatchers that her husband, Charles, had received a report of his cows being loose on Poplar Ridge Road in Cheshire Township around 6 p.m. She became worried when Charles had not returned home or contacted her. Deputies and Troopers from the Gallia-Meigs Post of the Ohio State Highway Patrol along with Springfield Township Volunteer Fire Department, Middleport Volunteer Fire Department and Gallia County EMS responded to the scene.

“Emergency responders located Mr. Withee’s vehicle near the property that he owned on Poplar Ridge Road, however an initial search of the area, turned up nothing,” stated Sheriff Champlin.

Sheriff Champlin said that search crews regrouped and made a secondary sweep in vicinity of the last location that Mr. Withee’s cell phone had a signal. Responders located Mr. Withee in good health, stuck in a briar patch at approximately 3:50 a.m. this morning.

“This is the best possible outcome we could hope for,” said Sheriff Champlin, “Gallia and Meigs County First Responders did a great job of working together and with Mr. Withee’s family members to locate him as fast as possible on this chilly night.”

Sheriff Champlin also stated that Mr. Withee was a little banged up but the smile on his face when he saw his wife and sons said it all.