Multiple agencies participate in search for missing man

POMEROY, Ohio – Meigs County Sheriff Keith Wood reports that his office received a report on Oct. 4, 2017 of a missing person from Riebel Road.

Deputies were contacted by the parents of Jack Ginther, Jr. who advised that he had left his camper that morning to walk through the woods and had not returned from his walk. Deputies discovered that Ginther had sent a text message to his parents around noon stating that he was about a mile down the road and attempting to make it back up to the road. When Ginther failed to come out of the woods at that time, his parents contacted the Sheriff’s Office as he had some medical issues that concerned them.

Deputies Hupp and Campbell searched the area where Ginther was supposed to come out of the woods but failed to locate him. A ping trace of Ginther cell phone was performed but units were unable to locate him. Canine units from the Meigs County Sheriff’s Office and Gallipolis Police Department were brought in to assist as well as fire department units from Racine, Syracuse, Chester, Bashan and Tuppers Plains Fire Department to search for Ginther. In addition, the Ohio State Patrol was contacted and the Ohio State Patrol Aviation Unit was preparing to send an aircraft to assist in the search. At 10:35 p.m., Ginther was located near Bashan Road. Ginther was checked by the Meigs EMS at that time.

Sheriff Wood stated that he is glad to hear that Ginther was found safe and also that the local community jumped in to help as area residents came to assist and also brought food and water to rescue personnel during the search.