BuffettNews.com

Man Thought Lost in Utah Found in Australia
August 09, 2005 9:13 PM EDT

SALT LAKE CITY - A man thought to have disappeared while hiking in southwestern Utah has been traced to Australia, Washington County sheriff's officers said Tuesday.

Bryan Butas, 35, of St. George, Utah, reportedly planned to go hiking alone July 30 in an area near Leeds. His car was found the next day near the Oak Grove campground in Dixie National Forest.

Sheriff Kirk Smith said investigators found that Butas had purchased a plane ticket on July 20 and flew from Los Angeles to New Zealand and then to Sydney on Aug. 2. He was then traced to Cairns, Queensland.

Smith said the information all came together on Monday, the day the search was canceled.

He said Butas was not under arrest because no crime had been committed, but a civil action could be filed to get Butas to pay the costs of the search and investigation, which a preliminary estimate put at about $20,000.

Butas' wife and three children recently moved to Ohio and Butas had been said to be planning to join them in December.

Wow, he really was lost!

He turned south-west and kept going for about 16,000 miles.

Then again, Cairns is nice this time of year.

Ilph wrote:Man Thought Lost in Utah Found in Australia
August 09, 2005 9:13 PM EDT

SALT LAKE CITY - A man thought to have disappeared while hiking in southwestern Utah has been traced to Australia, Washington County sheriff's officers said Tuesday.

Bryan Butas, 35, of St. George, Utah, reportedly planned to go hiking alone July 30 in an area near Leeds. His car was found the next day near the Oak Grove campground in Dixie National Forest.

Sheriff Kirk Smith said investigators found that Butas had purchased a plane ticket on July 20 and flew from Los Angeles to New Zealand and then to Sydney on Aug. 2. He was then traced to Cairns, Queensland.

Smith said the information all came together on Monday, the day the search was canceled.

He said Butas was not under arrest because no crime had been committed, but a civil action could be filed to get Butas to pay the costs of the search and investigation, which a preliminary estimate put at about $20,000.

Butas' wife and three children recently moved to Ohio and Butas had been said to be planning to join them in December.

if i ever go just disappear dont search for me cuz i dont want to pay for it when they find me

Ilph wrote:no crime had been committed, but a civil action could be filed to get Butas to pay the costs of the search and investigation, which a preliminary estimate put at about $20,000

You know... this is out of control. You can't even just disappear anymore without someone threating to sue you for the money they spent looking for you. Did this guy asked to be looked for? Not like the Atlanta gal...who faked a kidnapping!

I know... its irresponsible to just disappear and of course I would (maybe.. ) tell someone given the same scenerio......... but it just seems silly that I have to..... to avoid being slapped with expenses of people who I didnt ask to look for me! LOL

Hmmmm...flip side of that, Topless...should we stop searching for people who disappear because maybe they don't want to be found? That's not an assumption I'd want someone to make about me if I was kidnapped or in a car accident in a desolate area or whatever.

Most folks that decide to disappear like this are running from something, either crime, financial problems, marriage problems or they have a real need for attention. It seems to me that they need to buck up and face the music instead of running away.

All the law enforcement hours spent searching for these folks is time and people taken away from those who really need that help.

I think they should be charged, and in my opinion they are never charged enough.

Hmmm.

Utah.

Australia.

Utah.

Australia.


Nope, they don't sound alike.

G'day mate.

buffettbride wrote:Hmmm.

Utah.

Australia.

Utah.

Australia.


Nope, they don't sound alike.

And I don't *think* Australia is on the way to Ohio from Utah...guess he couldn't get a direct flight...

If you disappear and don't want to be searched for, I think it's easy enough to pick someone who knows you, call them when you know they're not around, and leave a message saying 'I've left, don't search for me'. At least you've covered yourself and saved any unneeded resources thinking the worst may have happened to you. Plus, at least anyone who would care if you were missing would at least have some sort of piece of mind that it was your choice and not something horrid had befallen you.

Just my thoughts

buffettbride wrote:Hmmm.

Utah.

Australia.

Utah.

Australia.


Nope, they don't sound alike.

Australia

Its just missing one letter. Trust me, there are about the same number of Mormons.

land_shark3 wrote:

buffettbride wrote:Hmmm.

Utah.

Australia.

Utah.

Australia.


Nope, they don't sound alike.

Australia

Its just missing one letter. Trust me, there are about the same number of Mormons.

Fine. Be that way.

who asked for him to be searched for?

My thoughts.... I wouldnt be irresponsible not to tell at least 1 member of my family or friends should I decide to disappear.

If I make a false police report, leave town w/o a trace and you decide to look for me then I expect to be punished.

If I disappear without at least changing the voice mail on my cell phone.... it requires my picture on a milk carton or something.... pls come a lookin! We do pay taxes which pay the police salaries... so in this case, I wouldnt be charged any "searching for me fees".

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:who asked for him to be searched for?

Thats what I want to know

ToplessRideFL wrote:

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:who asked for him to be searched for?

Thats what I want to know

I'm thinking his wife and 3 kids might have been a wee bit concerned when he stopped contacting them.

Brown Eyed Girl wrote:

ToplessRideFL wrote:

AlbatrossFlyer wrote:who asked for him to be searched for?

Thats what I want to know

I'm thinking his wife and 3 kids might have been a wee bit concerned when he stopped contacting them.

Serious question: Is it against the law to abandon one's family? I truly have no idea. Aside from it being sick, wrong, and well, words that I really shouldn't be typing right now 'cause I think I've pushed that envelope a lot the last few days.

I think absolutely, though, the wife had every right to try and search for him if she thought he was really missing.

buffettbride wrote:Hmmm.

Utah.

Australia.

Utah.

Australia.


Nope, they don't sound alike.

Maybe if we have Jenny say them out loud, they will...

Brown Eyed Girl wrote:

buffettbride wrote:Hmmm.

Utah.

Australia.

Utah.

Australia.


Nope, they don't sound alike.

And I don't *think* Australia is on the way to Ohio from Utah...guess he couldn't get a direct flight...

Damn Priceline flights.

Ilph wrote:

Brown Eyed Girl wrote:

buffettbride wrote:Hmmm.

Utah.

Australia.

Utah.

Australia.


Nope, they don't sound alike.

And I don't *think* Australia is on the way to Ohio from Utah...guess he couldn't get a direct flight...

Damn Priceline flights.

Then again, that's a GREAT way to rack up those frequent flier miles..

If I had to move to to St. George I wouild consider running away! Way too many uptight Mormons down there. I only wish I had known he was heading that way, I would have asked him to accidentally run over my ex. Oops, did I say that?!?