Missing man found safe; transported to hospital for treatment

A 47-year-old man who was reported missing five days after he was seriously injured in an alleged attack was found safe Tuesday, El Dorado police said.

Few details were available about the circumstances that led to Wayne A. Cheatham being reported missing Monday.

Police said they learned early Tuesday morning Cheatham was in Smackover.

He had called his mother upon hearing that a story regarding his disappearance had appeared in the Tuesday edition of the News-Times.

“We also had a lot of help from the community in finding him,” said Capt. Cathy Phillips, of the El Dorado Police Department.

Cheatham’s mother told officers Monday that she had last seen her son on Aug. 23, the same day that officers had found him lying in the street with his face covered in dried blood.

At 6:15 a.m., officers received reports that someone was lying in the street in the area of West Hillsboro and Russell.

Police said the man, later identified as Cheatham, seemed disoriented and would not answer questions about what had happened to him.

He was transported by ambulance to Medical Center of South Arkansas for treatment.

More than 12 hours later, Cheatham told police that he had been attacked by a friend the previous night, saying

that the suspect beat him unconscious and then ran over Cheatham with his vehicle.

He said he could not

initially remember what had happened the previous night.

Cheatham also said his wallet and cellphone were missing, and he suspected his friend of stealing more than $800 cash from him.

He told police that his right eye socket had been fractured. He complained of soreness in his body and was again transported by ambulance to MCSA, police said.

Cheatham’s father told police that he had last seen his son during the early morning hours of Aug. 24.

Police said the incident remains under investigation.