LAUDERHILL, Fla. – An 86-year-old man with dementia was found Wednesday morning in Palm Beach County, a day after he led Lauderhill police on a slow speed chase, authorities said.
Lauderhill police Maj. Rick Rocco said officers were called to the 3300 block of Northwest Fifth Place just before 7 p.m. Tuesday regarding an armed man who was waving two handguns in the air.
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Rocco said residents identified the man as John Wesley, who suffers from dementia and is a longtime resident of Lauderhill.
Officers said Wesley was walking around and appeared to be confused and disoriented.
When ordered to drop his weapons, Wesley responded, "Shoot me," Rocco said.
Police said Wesley got into his Toyota Sienna and drove away.
Police followed Wesley through numerous residential side streets along Broward Boulevard, but Wesley refused to stop his vehicle, Rocco said.
Rocco said Wesley was driving very slowly, only topping 10 mph, and he obeyed all traffic signals.
Rocco said officers were looking for an opportunity to stop him without putting the public in danger, and Lauderhill police policy prohibits officers from using stationary or moving roadblocks.
Rocco said officers eventually made the decision to stop following Wesley, because he was not acting threatening to others, and the incident appeared to be mental-health-related and not criminal.
When officers questioned witnesses at the scene, a public adjuster told detectives that he tried to give Wesley a business card, but Wesley pointed a gun at him and said, "I just want to give you this."
The man and his associate ran to their car. They said they could hear Wesley talking, but it sounded like rambling and mumbling, and did not make sense.
Witnesses said Wesley fired one shot into the ground before officers arrived.
Wesley's relatives were later contacted and told police that he suffers from dementia and had become paranoid in the last couple of months, believing that someone has put a hit on him, and he is being poisoned.
Police said the two men, at whom Wesley pointed a gun, did not wish to press charges, because they believed it was clear that Wesley suffers from mental illness.
Rocco said Wesley was found Wednesday morning by the Manalapan Police Department in Palm Beach County.
He was taken to a hospital for a mental health assessment under the Baker Act.
"We wish to thank Chief (Carmen) Mattox and his agency for locating Mr. Wesley and bringing this situation to a peaceful conclusion," Rocco said.