An 89-year-old Pennsylvania man, Joseph (Jody) Tarbutton went into the Galley Restaurant early Monday morning and stated he did not know where he was. Haleyville police ran a check and found the man had been reported missing from Boothwyn, Pennsylvania for two days. He had apparently driven to Haleyville in his pickup.

His step son and step daughter flew to Birmingham and then driven to Haleyville by Frankie Hicks, the father of Haleyville policeman Steve Hicks.  Tarbutton spent the night at Lakeland Hospital recovering from dehydration and fatigue. A World War II vet, Tarbutton had left to do some shopping Friday afternoon and apparently became disoriented and continued to drive through the weekend until arriving in Haleyville. He appeared to be in good spirits Tuesday morning when he was discharged from the hospital. He was taken to the Birmingham airport where he took his first airplane ride since WWII. His daughter, Cindy Gotta, reported the was back home and safe. She expressed her thanks to the kind people of this area who took care of her father.

After arriving safely back in Pennsylvania, Mr. Tarbutton’s granddaughter shows him a map of how far he had driven to arrive in Haleyville.