Drivers can expect to see a large presence of public safety vehicles through the area of the Blue Ridge Parkway and Route 60 at the county line of Amherst and Rockbridge counties Saturday. This is part of the ongoing search efforts for a Chad H. Austin.
The Buena Vista Police Department is advising motorists traveling to pass cautiously through this area and be alert for slow-moving vehicles and search-and-rescue teams.
Due to the difficult terrain of the search area, only law enforcement and specially-trained search and rescue teams are involved in Saturday’s search efforts.
Chad Austin was last seen on May 29 by campers in the Panther Falls area, east of the Blue Ridge Parkway. He was wearing a gray tank top with long shorts below the knees.
Austin was reported missing after his silver Hyundai Tiburon was found around 12:30 p.m. May 28, in Amherst County. The car was found abandoned about 2 miles down the turnoff for Panther Falls Road.
Anyone with information about Chad Austin is encouraged to call the Buena Vista Police Department at 540-261-6171 or the Virginia State Police at #77 on a cell phone or dial 911.
