Gage County man, missing for nearly 24 hours, found alive under fallen tree

GAGE COUNTY, Neb. (KOLN) - Gage County authorities say a man who was reported missing on Sunday was found alive under a fallen tree.

In a press release, the sheriff’s office stated that they were contacted by family members late Sunday morning about 62-year-old Virgil Janzen. GCSO says the Holmesville (southeast of Beatrice) resident had not been heard from since Saturday morning. Family members told deputies that Janzen had not arrived to work Sunday morning and that farm chores were not completed.

“They attempted numerous times to call Janzen by cell phone but it kept going to voicemail,” the sheriff’s office said. “The family stated all of these circumstances were unlike Janzen and they believed something was wrong.”

GCSO says friends and family members immediately began searching for Janzen. Authorities said they also had Southeast Communications, the 9-1-1 center for Gage County, try to ping where Jenzen’s cellphone might be located. A successful ping led first responders, including volunteers firefighters and EMTs from Wymore and Blue Springs, to the area of 80th and B Line Road, just to the northeast of Blue Springs.

“Janzen was located in a pasture where he had been clearing trees [and] was found trapped under [one that fell on him],” GSCO stated. Janzen told first responders that he got trapped under the fallen tree at some point Saturday afternoon.

Deputies say Janzen was flown to Bryan West hospital in Lincoln by StarCare to be treated for his injuries. GCSO did not specify how serious Janzen’s injuries were.