Full Notification

Sun Prairie Police Department Media Release
From: Detective Sergeant Ryan Cox
Date:November 15th, 2019
Subject: Man Suffering from Medical Event Found Alive in Field

At approximately 2:40am on November 14th, 2019, an officer from the Sun Prairie Police Department observed a vehicle in the field near a new housing development off of O’Keeffe Avenue. The officer investigated the potentially suspicious vehicle and found the engine running with the door opened and unoccupied.

Additional officers responded and began searching the area for who was determined to be a 57 year-old male driver. Contact was made with family who determined he had not been heard from since 2:30pm on November 13th. The Dane County Sheriff’s Office was then requested to provide a canine to assist with a track.

A ping of the subject’s phone was plotting near the area. A request was made for a drone with thermal imaging to assist in the search. Officers from the Madison Police Department responded with a thermal imaging drone. The drone search began at approximately 3:25am. The drone was able to pick up a thermal signature within 2-4 minutes, and our officers were able to locate the subject lying in a culvert at approximately 3:48am.

The 57 year-old male was found alive, but incoherent. He was transported to the hospital, and was in critical condition. It was determined that he suffered a medically significant event and likely drove off into the field, then wandered from his vehicle. At this point in the investigation, there have been no indications of foul play.

Thank you to the Dane County Sheriff’s Office and Madison Police Department for their support and assistance. The thermal imaging drone was instrumental in finding this person alive.



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