Police search for Jeep, hope to find missing man
Contributed photos
CHARLIE FLINT, 58, of Presque Isle, who has numerous health issues, has been missing for a week.
Flint was last seen operating a 2004 Jeep Wrangler, similar to the one pictured above. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Presque Isle Police Department at 764-4476.
By Kathy McCarty
PRESQUE ISLE — The Presque Isle Police Department is asking for the public’s help in locating Charlie Flint, 58, of Presque Isle, who was last seen in Ashland around Tuesday, Aug. 9.
“The last reported sighting of Charlie Flint was around the afternoon of Tuesday, Aug. 9, when he reportedly was spotted in Washburn. He is considered an endangered missing person due to his heart condition and other health issues that require specialized medication that he does not have with him,” said Det. Sgt. Wayne Selfridge, PIPD, who’s heading up the search.
Flint is described as 5-feet 4-inches tall, weighing 240 pounds, with gray hair, beard and mustache, blue eyes and was last seen wearing blue jeans, a dark T-shirt and brown shoes. He has walking difficulties. He drives a 2004 silver Jeep Wrangler with a black top, bearing Maine registration 987LM.
“He may be in the company of his rusty-colored Pomeranian that answers to the name of Rocky,” said Selfridge.
Selfridge said law enforcement officers from the PIPD, Maine State Police, Aroostook County Sheriff’s Office, Ashland Police Department, Maine Warden Service and other agencies have been actively looking for Flint, to no avail.
“It’s been a week. It’s frustrating for his friends and family, as well as the officers who’ve been looking for him. Family and friends have been helping quite a bit, searching on their own to try to locate Flint,” he said.
Officials have been hampered in their search due to the fact there’s no clear indication where Flint — who’s from the Ashland area and familiar with the territory and liked to go for rides in the woods — may have gone.
“Flint’s known to go for rides in the woods. The problem is the north Maine woods is a very big place, with numerous main and side roads. That’s a lot of territory to cover. We have no idea if he did, in fact, enter the woods and, if so, where he entered,” Selfridge said.
Selfridge said Flint left behind two very important items, including one that might have enabled officials to locate him.
“We know he left behind his medications and his cell phone. If he had his phone with him, we might have been able to ping it to help locate him,” said Selfridge.
The Maine Warden Service has been actively looking for Flint.
“We continue to watch for Flint or his Jeep but have had no luck so far. We regularly patrol roads in the woods but there are just so many to cover. If we just had an idea where to look, but we don’t,” said Warden Alan Dudley.
Selfridge said the Warden Service has been search by both plane and on the ground but that this summer’s rain has caused unusually thick vegetation and a number of downfalls that have hampered the search.
“There’s such a thick canopy, many sections of roads are hidden from the air. Another problem are fallen trees and wet spots. Flint has a four-wheel drive but may have gotten stuck in a spot not visible from the air and can’t walk out because of health conditions,” said Selfridge, noting searchers are trying to focus on finding the vehicle.
“We’re focusing on the Jeep — due to its size, it should be easier to locate than a person. If we can find it, we’re hoping he stayed with the vehicle and we’ll be able to find him as well. We’re asking everyone to be alert for this vehicle when traveling anywhere in the woods in the central Aroostook area,” said the detective sergeant.
“It’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. If you can find the sewing basket, the needle might not be far away,” said Selfridge.
With hunting season approaching, Selfridge is asking guides, outfitters and hunters out baiting for bear to be on the lookout, as well as anyone else traveling in the woods for either work or pleasure.
“Flint could be anywhere in the central Aroostook region — any wooded area, not just the north Maine woods. We just have no point of origin to start from,” Selfridge said. “We’re also requesting local ATV club members to watch for the vehicle, anywhere the vehicle could possibly go, particularly east of Routes 163 and 11. He could be anywhere between Ashland, the Chapman woods or all the way to Number 9 Lake. There are just so many routes he could have taken.”
Selfridge has filed a missing person report with law enforcement offices throughout the state. News agencies throughout Maine have also carried the story, asking for the public’s help in locating Flint, who’s been missing for over a week now.
Anyone with information on Flint’s whereabouts or wishing to help in the search is asked to contact Selfridge at 764-4476.
