PEORIA COUNTY, Ill. – In what the Peoria County Sheriff describes as one of the most difficult searches ever done locally, authorities have found a missing 77-year-old man from Green Island, New York.
Sheriff Chris Watkins says unfortunately, John Dubaic died not long after search crews found him in the brush near the Spoon River near Elmore.
Watkins says the Sheriff’s Office learned Dubaic had last been seen by family in New York leaving in his RV on July 13th. Their last contact with him was on July 15th.
Around 1 p.m. Tuesday, Watkins says the Sheriff’s Office was contacted by the Green Island Police in New York, who said Dubaic’s RV had “pinged” on property off Cedar Bluff Road near Elmore.
Detectives used a drone to search for the RV, but could not find Dubaic. Around 5 p.m., he was found breathing, but not alert. First responders on the scene carried him out of the brush and started CPR.
“Brimfield Fire and OSF Life Flight responded but unfortunately Dubaic was pronounced deceased after life saving measures were done for an extended amount of time.,” Watkins says.
Police believe Dubaic’s RV had been near the Spoon River before severe weather hit last week, because a tree had fallen on it.
In a Facebook post, Watkins thanked the responding agencies, including the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and volunteers and rescue teams who searched for Dubaic.
Also responding were Peoria, Knox, Tazewell, McLean, and Mercer Search and Rescue teams and the Woodford County Emergency Management Agency.
Comments