Update, issued by Lt. Maker at 8:07 p.m. Friday:

Earlier tonight at about 6:30 p.m. Benaiah was located at a residence on Coopers Mills Road in Windsor. 

He sustained minor injuries but did not require hospitalization.  He has been returned to his parents’ home in Whitefield by the Maine State Police, who responded to Windsor after receiving a report from a concerned citizen.

Initial press release, issued at 5:06 p.m. Friday:

The Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office is currently searching the area around 571 Townhouse Road in Whitefield for Benaiah J. Pagurko, 19. He is described as white, 6’ 3”, 175 lbs.,  with blue eyes and short blonde hair. He was last seen wearing dark pants and a black short sleeve shirt with red stripes.

Pagurko left on foot from his parent’s home in Whitefield at approximately 11:15 a.m. Friday.  Because he is diagnosed with autism, the Sheriff’s Office considers him endangered and has entered him as a missing person into the National Crime Information Center (NCIC) data base.

He has a history of traveling long distances during past incidents of this nature and could be anywhere in Kennebec or Lincoln counties.  If you have information, please contact your local law enforcement agency.  

Both the Maine Warden Service and the Maine State Police are assisting the Sheriff’s Office with the search.