Authorities found a man safe and unharmed after he was reported as having been swept away by a flooded river before 7 p.m. on Wednesday.
According to Gatesville Police, a woman who had a conversation with the man before he went missing reported the incident to police before 2:20 p.m. She reportedly saw him attempting to cross the Leon river at the Fauntleroy Park. She warned him to go back but when she turned around he was gone.
Several agencies, including Gatesville Fire, Gatesville Police, Fort Hood Fire Rescue and the Texas Department of Public Safety searched for the man for at least four hours by air, land and water.
"We started basically searching, talking with friends and family, trying to find his whereabouts. He was not located. He was our primary concern. We thought it might be him that was here in the park and certainly it was," said Gatesville Police Chief Nathan Gohlke.
Rescue crews found the Gatesville man who has not been identified was on a park bench, which was located on the other side of where he was last seen.
The Leon river at 28 feet deep on Wednesday usually surrounds the park, but now it has flooded the area blocking access to the park.
The man told authorities he recalled speaking to the woman and taking her advice to avoid crossing the area she considered dangerous.
He reportedly could not find a place to cross upstream so he came went back downstream into the park where he saw law enforcement.
Gohlke said he willingly got into a boat with the rescue crew and later was checked by medical staff.
The man who police took into custody for a possible outstanding warrant could face charges for crossing barricades. The park was closed at that time for vehicle traffic but there was an opening to pedestrians. Access to the area was restricted after the incident was reported.
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