Mentally ill Richmond man missing in the Red River Gorge

Aug. 04--More than 100 people from 10 agencies are searching for a Richmond man who ran from his caretakers and into the Red River Gorge woods on Saturday.

Josh Adkins Risner, 31, suffers from a mental illness and was last seen around 8:30 p.m. at the Koomer Ridge Campground, said John May, training officer for the Wolfe County Search and Rescue Team.

He was wearing a blue shirt, khaki shorts and blue and white tennis shoes, May added.

By 3 p.m. Monday, the rescuers had expanded their search perimeters, May said, because a dog had picked up a scent a few miles from the campground in a rough trail section.

A dog from Tennessee was en route to the area, May added.

"It's an air scent dog that smells the ground, not the air, which is better for this type of operation and increases the chance of a hit on a scent," May explained. "A few years ago, that dog helped find a subject after they had been missing three days."

Searching has been problematic for the rescuers. May himself suffers from a broken ankle he acquired during the search, he said. Copperhead snakes have been plentiful and searching cannot continue past dark because many areas have cliffs that drop more than 100 feet.

Heat, dehydration and dense vegetation have also been difficult factors, May added.

"We have had several close calls with snake bites, plus the cliffs can be dangerous for people who aren't familiar with the area. We have so many crews and people out here that we have to keep the safety of the rescuers in mind as well," May said.

Regardless of difficulties, May said it is important to find Risner as soon as possible to help protect him from the same dangers.

"Hopefully he is wanting to be found and not someone avoiding searchers. With a mental history, you never know. We are just doing what we can to return him safely," May said.

Rescue teams include Wolfe, Powell, Menefee, Lee, and Knot counties. The Kentucky State Police are also assisting in the search.

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