BLANCHESTER — At around 4 a.m. Monday Ptl. Sarah Luken was on patrol when she noticed a pickup truck entering town on State Route 28 traveling about 10 mph. She followed the truck, which was weaving and nearly struck a road-closed sign at Center and Broadway Streets, according to a news release from Blanchester police.

“Ptl. Luken stopped the truck, and found the driver to be Gerald Munnerlyn, 84, of Irwin, Ohio in Union County,” said Police Chief Scott Reinbolt. “A check of the license plate on the truck through dispatch indicated Mr. Munnerlyn had been reported missing from his home on Sunday, having last been seen at around noon.

“Mr. Munnerlyn told Ptl. Luken he went for a drive and got lost and had been driving around since trying to find his way back to Irwin, Ohio. He had never heard of Blanchester and had no idea where Blanchester is located.

“Ptl. Luken spoke to his wife via phone, who said she could come and pick him up, but that it would take her some two hours to get to Blanchester.”

Irwin is about 75 miles from Blanchester — northeast of Springfield and northwest of Columbus.

Mr. Munnerlyn’s truck was parked and Ptl. Luken took him to the Blanchester police station, where she sat with him until his wife, Donna, arrived to pick him up at around 7:30 a.m.