FORNEY, Texas — The search and rescue efforts for Waid Robison, the 22-year-old who was reported missing after a weekend crash in Forney, has ended.
Thursday the Forney Police Department called off their recovery efforts after saying they'd exhausted all options.
"After an exhaustive effort by the Dallas Fire Department Swift Water Rescue Team, we were unable to find the whereabouts of 22-year-old Waid Robison today," the department said in a Facebook post.
However, Forney PD said they are treating this case as an active missing person investigation and will continue to follow leads on Robison's whereabouts.
Cameron Banno has been out canvassing the muddy brush along Highway 80 near FM 460 in Forney for days, looking for any signs of his best friend.
“I've been searching non-stop since Sunday at about 10. In the morning,” Banno said. “We tracked his footsteps all the way from that overpass up into the new construction zone, down the access road where you can see where he has a footprint in the mud, he was barefoot.”
Tuesday afternoon, those steps led to a big clue.
“We were able to track these steps all the way back towards the creek that we just came from, where they found his iPhone,” Banno said.
But still no sign of Robison.
“We just want you to return to us, man. That's all I got,” Banno said, holding back tears.
Robison is 22 years old and was last seen early Sunday morning when he crashed his purple Pontiac GTO.
“He was headed to Forney from the skyway and lost control and spun out back of the car, hit the side wall and pushed the concrete pillars out of the way,” said Dylan Owens, Robison’s brother-in-law.
Owens says Robison called friends to meet him down the road, but he never made it to them.
“There's no telling how hurt he was if he had a sense of direction,” Owens said. “If he didn't, where he might have gone, where he could end up, we just have no idea.”
Since then, family, friends, and complete strangers, like Mercedes Loss have offered their time and resources to assist Forney police. She created a map to help searchers navigate the terrain.
“I actually have assisted on a couple of searches like this in the past,” Loss said. “We helped with one in Kaufman not too long ago.”
They worked hand in hand with law enforcement, who wanted to make sure volunteers had a sense of direction.
Throughout Tuesday evening drones, helicopters, and search dogs trekked through the high grass and creeks searching, as Robison’s loved ones clung to hope.
Anyone with information on the whereabouts of Waid Robison is encouraged to contact the Forney Police Department, specifically the Criminal Investigation Section.
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