Search suspended for West Bountiful man missing since Pioneer Day

John Page. Photo: West Bountiful Police

WEST BOUNTIFUL, Utah, July 31, 2017 (Gephardt Daily) — The West Bountiful Police Department has suspended the search for a missing man last seen on Utah’s Pioneer Day holiday.

John Darrell Page, 74, a resident of West Bountiful, was last seen at a Maverik station at 1265 W. Parrish Lane, in Centerville.

A news release from the police department Monday morning, one week after the Pioneer Day holiday, said cell phone information led law enforcement to the Tooele and Box Elder County area where an extensive search took place. On Friday, Page’s vehicle was located near the Tooele and Box Elder county line in the Lakeside Mountains, but he was not found.

The search continued until Sunday evening when the decision to suspend organized search efforts were made by both the family and law enforcement.

In a Facebook post Sunday, Page’s family expressed gratitude to all those that helped in the efforts to locate him.

“On behalf of our sweet father, grandfather, and brother,” the statement said. “We cannot put in words how grateful we are for every single person that has helped us try to find John over the last five days. We are incredibly grateful to Tooele, Box Elder, Utah, and Davis Counties for all of their efforts in this search. They put every single resource they could get and as much time an energy as they could into this.”

The family also thanked the 200-plus volunteers that assisted with the search.

“We believe that he is where he wants to be,” the post goes on to say. “He was a cowboy at heart and loved the mountains. We know that he is in a much better place but believe that he is at peace out there on that mountain.”

The volunteers that participated in the search efforts were joined by search and rescue teams from Tooele, Box Elder, Davis and Utah County, two fixed wing planes; one from the family and one from Utah County Sheriff’s Office, as well as a Utah Department of Public Safety helicopter and four search dog teams from Rocky Mountain Rescue Dogs, the Box Elder Mounted Sheriff’s Posse and the Lakeside Bombing Range facilities.

“The West Bountiful Police Department is very grateful for all those that have helped during this sad and difficult time,” the news release goes on. “We hope the family will find peace and offer our deepest condolences.”

Page is described as 5 feet 7 inches tall and 160 pounds, with gray hair and hazel eyes. He was last seen wearing a white checkered shirt, blue jeans and a blue hat. His family said he was not known to have health issues.

Anyone with information on Page’s whereabouts is asked to call the West Bountiful Police Department at 801-298-6000.

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