Putnam County man missing after kayak trip
PUTNAMVILLE - Indiana Conservation Officers conducting a search Wednesday morning for a Putnam County man who has not returned from a kayak trip on Big Walnut Creek near Putnamville.
David Pritchett, 48, reportedly launched a kayak in a flooded field near his home at approximately 6:30 p.m. Tuesday.
The search began at approximately 10 p.m. Tuesday, after concerned family members reported his absence. A search by land and water ended at approximately 2 a.m. before resuming Wednesday morning.
Pritchett was last seen wearing a tan short-sleeve button-up shirt, blue pants, brown hip waders, and was possibly wearing a yellow life jacket. The kayak he was using is green in color, authorities said.
As the search resumed Wednesday morning volunteers from the Cloverdale Fire Department were accessing the banks via ATV wherever possible, while Reelsville Volunteer Fire Department personnel were staged atop nearby bridges, using binoculars to scour the area for any sign of the missing kayaker.
"Big Walnut Creek is flooded after heavy rains Tuesday evening," Conservation Officer Max Winchell said, adding that the high water was hindering search efforts Wednesday morning.
Some roads along the Big Walnut, particularly south of U.S. 40 in the Reelsville area, were virtually impassable because of flooding, Winchell told the BannerGraphic.
Indiana Conservation officers and Indiana State Police personnel joined family members and Reelsville and Cloverdale fire department personnel in the search Tuesday evening.
As of 1:15 p.m., officials have called off the search due to high water and flood conditions.