UPDATED: Leroy Fitzell found

February 16, 2017 Utah Channel 3

UPDATED 8:50 p.m. Leroy Fitzell has been found and is being treated in the hospital for possible dehydration and hypothermia, family member Meg McArthur said. He was flown to the hospital by Intermountain Life Flight from where he was found in the desert near the Arizona strip. The 87-year-old man went missing Tuesday and was the subject of a wide search effort.

ST. GEORGE — Search and rescue crews are actively working an area southeast of Littlefield, Arizona, where a car belonging to missing 87-year-old Leroy “Roy” Fitzell has been found.

Leroy “Roy” Fitzell in a missing person advisory. He was found Thursday evening. | Flyer courtesy of St. George Police Department, St. George News

Mohave County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson Patricia Carter said deputies were called about noon Thursday to assist St. George Police in the search for Fitzell.

“St. George located the vehicle and the search area has been deemed, that area, I believe it’s southeast of LIttlefield,” Carter said. “That’s all I can tell you – with agency assist that’s all I can tell you – as far as I know the man has not been found.”

Carter said she expects the search to continue even as darkness is falling.

“I would suspect so, as much as they can, yes,” she said. “I don’t really know, generally speaking they would search through the night but I have not spoken with our command post up there on Search and Rescue”

Washington County Sheriff’s Deputy Darrell Cashin, the Sheriff’s Office liaison to Washington County Search and Rescue team, told St. George News that they canceled their own search efforts Thursday afternoon after being told by Arizona authorities that Fitzell’s car had been found on the Arizona Strip.

Fitzell was last seen Tuesday just after 11:15 a.m. at the USA gas station by Wal-Mart on Pioneer Road. He was driving a silver 1999 Mazda Protege with Utah license number Z96 5FV.

Fitzell was honored by the St. George City Council in 2013 with the St. George Arts Commission Excellence in Arts award. With over 70 years of experience as a dancer in movies and stage, Fitzell has danced with the St. George Ballet and taught dance at Southern Utah University.

Leroy Fitzell is described as follows:

Height- 5 feet, 8 inches
Age- 87
Skin color- White, fair complexion
Hair- Grey
Eyes- Hazel

St. George News Editor-in-Chief Joyce Kuzmanic contributed to this report.

Email: mkessler@stgnews.com

Twitter: @MoriKessler