Elderly couple takes wrong turn, ends up 400 miles from destination
WOODBURN, Ore. - An elderly couple who left home on what was supposed to be a 10-minute drive to a family member's house ended up 400 miles away and stranded once their car ran out of gas.
The couple - an 85-year-old man and his 83-year-old wife - were reported missing out of Redding, California, on Christmas Eve.
A woman told police there that her stepfather had picked up his wife from a care facility and the two were supposed to drive to a family's home for Christmas Eve dinner. But they never arrived.
On Christmas morning, around 6:30 a.m., the Oregon State Police responded to a report of a stalled vehicle with an elderly couple inside on Interstate 5 near Woodburn.
By the time officers arrived, someone had pushed the couple's car off the highway onto the right shoulder to get them out of traffic.
The couple appeared to be very confused, according to the Oregon State Police, and were transported by ambulance to a local hospital to get checked out.
Family members in California picked up the couple and brought them back to Redding. The family said the two are doing better now.
glad they are safe, and glad they did not cause an accident. gotta say it; after 30 minutes of driving ,they should have realized something was wrong... maybe its time to sell there car and take a cab or get a family member to drive them around. might be time to give up the drivers license.
Wow, glad they are safe! Glad they didn,t take some side mtn. road and get lost there!!! The pass had to be bad enough!
He just wouldn't ask for directions...
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(Ok, in all honesty, I am happy they are safe and sound, and all is well. Scarey for everyone!)