A Waldoboro man has been found dead after he walked into the woods during blizzard conditions on Saturday night.
The body of Frank Leathers, 27, was found in the woods near Winslow Mills Road in Waldoboro on Feb. 10 by a search team made up of Waldoboro police officers and Game Warden Joe Lefebvre, according to Waldoboro Police Chief Bill Labombarde. The death is not considered suspicious, and an autopsy is scheduled for today (Feb. 11), according to Labombarde.
The circumstances surrounding Leathers’ death began at approximately 6:15 p.m., on Feb. 9 when Waldoboro police officers responded to a disturbance at 951 Winslow Mills Rd. Upon arriving at the residence, police were advised that Leathers had left the residence on foot and was headed south on Winslow Mills Road to a friend’s house on Route 1, according to Chief Labombarde.
Police checked the area and observed footprints in the snow across the street from the residence leading into the woods. Waldobor Police Sgt. Jamie Wilson followed the tracks into the woods a short distance. However, due to deep snow and extreme weather conditions, Wilson was forced to discontinue his search, according to Labombarde. Additional officers from the Waldoboro Police Department, as well as Waldoboro Fire Chief Paul Semltzer, arrived on scene and a more exhaustive search was conducted. At approximately 12:30 a.m., the search was terminated, according to Labombarde.
On Sun., Feb. 10 at approximately 8 a.m. a second search was initiated by Game Warden Joe Lefebvre and members of the Waldoboro Police Department. At approximately 11:15 a.m. Leathers was located deceased in the woods several hundred yards off the roadway.
The Lincoln County News will continue to follow the progress of this event and post any additional information here as soon as it is obtained.
For a full and detailed report, check The Lincoln County News print and E-Editions on Thursday.