Officers said Brendan Dowling, 41, of Kennesaw, was walking on the trails behind Boling Park in Canton when he called 911 about 6:30 p.m. Sunday and said he was lost on Rampley Trail. He told authorities that his cellphone battery was dying, and it died during the call, police spokesman Pacer Cordry said.
Officers launched a search for Dowling and found his vehicle in Boling Park a short time later. At that point, Canton police as well as Cherokee fire and sheriff’s officials launched a wider search using ATVs and a police helicopter.
Dowling was found on a wooded trail about 4:30 a.m. wearing a T-shirt and shorts, Cordry said. He was evaluated by search and rescue personnel and later reunited with family.
"He's an avid runner according to his family, so he's used to running in the woods and trails like this, but obviously he got turned around tonight," Cordry said.
UPDATE: Hours after he called 911 as his cellphone died, a hiker was found alive this morning in Cherokee County. https://t.co/hpaqFBADZV pic.twitter.com/Hi69iss29e
— AJC (@ajc) January 22, 2018
Authorities are still not sure how he got lost.
“We’re still waiting on those details,” Cordry said. “I believe he just entered into the trail and it got dark really quick on him. It’s easy to get turned around in these wooded areas out here.”
New Video:
— Audrey Washington (@AudreyWSBTV) January 22, 2018
Brendan Dowling, covered in a blanket, about to leave with his family. The Kennesaw man got lost in a park, for nearly 11 hours. @wsbtv pic.twitter.com/tbkGUQNdGX
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution contributed to this report.
About the Author