06/02/2026
A Silver Alert rescue ended on a positive note thanks to the quick action of a Marine Patrol officer.
Officer Jonathan Morriss was towing his boat near Oriental, N.C. Thursday when a call came across the radio that authorities found an 81-year-old man who had been missing and without his medication for several days.
“I was probably 4 to 5 minutes from the location when the call came out,” Morriss said. That was closer than any rescue squad, so Morriss disconnected his boat so he could take his Marine Patrol truck through a remote, heavily wooded area to meet another deputy on scene.
When Morriss got to the scene, he found the man unresponsive but still breathing. Morriss, one of four certified EMT’s with the Marine Patrol’s Swift Water Rescue Team, grabbed his medical bag and helped the man with basic life support until paramedics arrived.
Marine Patrol Col. Chris Lee received a letter of commendation from Pamlico County Emergency Services Director Chris Murray and Pamlico County Sheriff Chris Davis regarding Morriss’ actions. See the commendation letter here:https://bit.ly/4u7Nn6W