Fernando Pacheco, who suffers from Alzheimer's disease, was found safe Tuesday morning after going missing from Poway. Photo courtesy of the San Diego County Sheriff's Department.
Fernando Pacheco, who suffers from Alzheimer’s disease, was found safe Tuesday morning after going missing from Poway. Photo courtesy of the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department.

A missing 71-year-old Poway man who suffers from Alzheimer’s was found safe in the Valley Center area early Tuesday, authorities said.

A search and rescue operation was launched for Fernando Pacheco Monday evening. He had last been seen walking south on Midland Road around 3:30 p.m. Monday, according to the San Diego County Sheriff’s Department, which set up a command post on the north side of Midland Elementary.

Sometime before 8:30 a.m. today, a citizen found Pacheco in the Valley Center area, sheriff’s Lt. Clayton Lisk said, adding that he was unharmed and was being returned to his family in Poway.

It was not immediately clear how he got from Poway to Valley Center.

–City News Service