Snohomish County sheriff’s officials based out of Everett, Washington, are investigating today after a man in his late 40s was found unattended in a local fabric store.
Deputies responded around 1 p.m. Saturday to the Jo-Ann Fabric on Evergreen Way following reports of a disoriented, middle-aged Caucasian male wandering in the yarn aisle.
After evacuating the building, police, according to the report, carefully approached the man and asked him if he knew where his wife was.
“In situations like this, we first assess whether the individual is well-fed and taken care of,” Deputy Mike Donnelly said. “He appeared to be, but he was clearly very confused and frightened, evidently as a result of being left there like that.”
An initial sweep of the area by outlet-mall officials and local police did not locate the wife.
Police dispatch advised to store manager Kathy Gruberson, 34, of Marysville, to initiate the Jo-Ann Fabric’s emergency reorientation protocol after she called 9-1-1.
“We take them to a back room that’s fully equipped with Bud Light, old copies of Motor Trend, and a flat-screen television permanently tuned to FOX News,” Gruberson explained. “Assuming the wife wants to be found, we can usually send them home the same day.”
Gruberson added that if a man goes unclaimed by closing time, he becomes the private ward of recently widowed store quilting teacher Greta Olofsdotter, 58.
