HUBER HEIGHTS — A good Samaritan says Huber Heights police told him they take “full responsibility” for dropping the ball after a man who seemed lost and confused was not helped for hours.
Mark Higgins was delivering fuel to the Marathon gas station on Troy Pike when an older man who appeared confused approached him and repeatedly asked where they were.
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“Just talking to him, I’m like ‘something ain’t right with him.’ It seemed like dementia to me,” Higgins said.
After dispatch said they would send police over to help the man, Higgins said he and the elderly man sat and waited for officials at nearby picnic tables. The pair ended up waiting longer than expected, even after several calls to dispatch.
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“It was every bit of two and a half hours,” Higgins said. “I understand they get hundreds of calls all the time. Police officers are busy and I back them up 100 percent, but it’s kind of hard to say they couldn’t have one officer come out.”
In the 911 calls, the dispatcher explained to Higgins that morning officers were on higher priority calls and did not have anyone available to help.
Despite the delay, Higgins kept waiting with the man.
“I just hope if one of my parents or good friend was in that situation, somebody would do the same,” Higgins said.
Police eventually came to pick the man up and are reportedly assisting him to prevent the incident from occurring again.
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