Dusty Ricketts

Jul. 8, 2008 (McClatchy-Tribune Regional News delivered by Newstex) -- SANDESTIN -- An elderly Alzheimer's patient who wandered away from his retirement center Thursday remains missing.

Authorities began searching for 82-year-old Colin Hale Friday morning when he was reported missing from Crystal Bay, a retirement center in Sandestin.

Hale was last seen at about 10 p.m. July 3 at the retirement home.

A search conducted Sunday focused on the wooded area between Mack Bayou Road and West Hewitt Road and drew more than 60 volunteers from the Walton County Sheriff 's Office, Eglin Air Force Base's Range Patrol, the Florida Department of Agriculture and staff from the retirement village.

"We've still got to look everywhere," said Lt. Keith Chamblee with the Walton County Sheriff 's Office. "We've never had (an Alzheimer's patient) missing this long."

Volunteers searched an approximately onesquare-mile area that included wooded and swampy terrain.

Hale has hitch-hiked in the past when he has become disoriented, Chamblee said.

Chamblee added that Hale had "told someone he was going to see his parents" when he left the retirement center. Hale's parents are dead and never lived in the United States.

Hale is 5 feet, 7 inches tall, weighs about 160 pounds and has reddish gray hair, authorities said.

He has a noticeable scar on his nose and was wearing blue jeans and a colored shirt when he left the center.

The Sheriff's Office has received calls from people who thought they had spotted Hale at Miramar Beach and near the Mid-Bay Bridge on July 4.

Holly Botsford, spokeswoman for Crystal Bay, said the retirement center will continue to assist the Sheriff 's Office with their search for Hale.

"We've been focusing all of our efforts on finding this resident," Botsford said.

Botsford said the facility has several safeguards in place to help prevent its patients from leaving the facility on their own.

All exterior doors to Crystal Bay have delayed latches and alarms and the windows are also equipped with safety devices.

However, because doors to the outside cannot be locked from the inside -- under state law -- Hale was able to leave.

Anyone who sees Hale or has knowledge of his location should contact the Walton County Sheriff 's Office at 267-2000.

Daily News Staff Writer Dusty Ricketts can be reached at 863-1111, Ext. 1448.

Newstex ID: KRTB-0068-26514958