OLEAN, N.Y. — An Olean man with autism who had been missing since May 2 has been found.
Olean Police say that 22-year-old Cole Geise was recognized by an Olean resident around 10 p.m. Saturday at a Wendy's restaurant on North Union Street. The resident was able to keep Geise in his sight as he called police.
Robert Blovsky, captain with the Olean Police Department, says officers brought Geise back to the police station and were able to get a hold of his parents, and they were later reunited. A photo of their reunion was posted on the department's Facebook page later that evening.
Blovsky said Geise appeared healthy, but a little dirty.
According to Blovsky, Geise had been staying in an abandoned house on Adams Street in Olean. It's believed that he was there the whole time. Blovsky said Geise did not know that anyone was looking for him.
"He's very very intelligent, I'll give you that," Blovsky said. "He wanted to be alone, so he left. He said he was hiding. But he would pull up his hoodie when he said he would go out early in the morning to go look for food."
Geise told police he was up where police had originally started looking for him.
Blovsky said he was shocked when he received the call that Geise had been found safe, saying he didn't expect that.
"I did ask Cole to do me one favor and to please carry a cell phone," Blovsky said.