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WEST JORDAN — Police are asking for the public's help in finding a West Jordan man who they say is missing after driving to Idaho and failing to return as expected.
Paul Meiling, 77, drove to Pocatello, Idaho, on Monday, Dec. 19, and was expected back in Salt Lake City by 3 p.m. the same day, according to his family.
West Jordan police are investigating the case and have confirmed that it is active but that there is nothing suspicious yet.
“They’re saying that he left sometime between noon and 9 p.m. last night,” said West Jordan Police Sgt. Joe Monson. “It is an active case but, other than the information that was given to us initially, we don’t have any.”
Meiling’s family received a text from him at noon on Dec. 19 notifying them that he would be returning from Idaho, and there was a transaction under his name at 12:12 p.m. from a Costco gas station in Pocatello the same day. His family also received a tip from a gas station cashier in Malad City who said they saw him and talked to him at 1:30 p.m. the same day.
His family has not been able to contact him otherwise and his phone is either dead or no longer has reception, according to his daughter Melanie Bruse.
Meiling is 6 feet 2 inches tall and weighs 220 pounds. He was driving a White Toyota Tundra with a white shell with license plate No. B028FJ when he went missing.
The family is covering the area from Malad City and southward to Salt Lake City and has an active Facebook page called Find Paul Meiling where they have posted updates on the search.
"We want to thank a lot of people who are offering their help and offering their services," Bruse said.
The West Jordan Police Department has asked those with information to call the department at 801-840-4000.
Contributing: Merri Golightly
Liesl is a web reporter at KSL.com. You can email her at lnielsen@ksl.com.
