Traveler who went missing during Nashville tornado is found, Tennessee police say

The North Carolina man who went missing in central Tennessee during the time of the deadly tornado Tuesday has been located alive, Mt. Juliet police officials say.

Benjamin Charles Fitch, 27, was found “safe” early Wednesday in Knoxville, according to a tweet.

Police say Fitch was walking in Mt. Juliet, a Nashville suburb where at least three people were killed in severe storms early Tuesday.

“Overnight, we received a report that (Fitch) could not be located or heard from,” Mt. Juliet police said on Twitter early Wednesday. “He was was walking in Mt. Juliet 1 hour prior to the tornado, stopped by an officer, and he told the officer he was waiting on a ride back to NC.”

Investigators say his ride showed up after the storm and the driver reported Fitch could not be found, the department said.

“He does not own a cell phone, and his family members are concerned about his well-being,” police tweeted.

Department officials did not say how Fitch got to Knoxville during the storm or if he suffered any injuries.

The three dead in Mt. Juliet include a couple in their 80s who died in their home and a woman working security at a warehouse, police said.

State officials put the death toll at 24 people late Tuesday.

More than 75 people are still unaccounted for after the storm, according to The Weather Channel.

The 24 fatalities were spread across four counties, Tennessee officials said.

This story was originally published March 4, 2020 at 7:58 AM with the headline "Traveler who went missing during Nashville tornado is found, Tennessee police say."