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An elderly woman from Pasco County drove five hours looking for a Walgreens but ended up stranded in Bainbridge, Georgia.

Thursday morning, Martinez asked someone for directions to Walgreens. The person told her to take Highway 19 and continue straight. Martinez took to the highway and drove five hours to Wawa in Decatur County. She arrived at Wawa around 7:30-8:00 PM. Once she stopped, Martinez went inside and paid for gas, but she told Alexandria Jackson, a customer service supervisor, that she didn’t know where she was. Five minutes later, Jackson received a call from one of Martinez’s relatives informing her that they’d been looking for her since Thursday afternoon, and they filed a missing person report in Pasco County. Martinez’s relatives found her in Wawa from her departure transaction. Jackson got Martinez settled before calling the police.

Jackson stated Martinez “wasn’t confused. She knew where she lived and everything like that. She didn’t know how to get home.” Sheriff Officer Austin Maxwell got a call for a welfare check, and he arrived on the scene and took Martinez to Memorial Hospital to be examined for any injuries. Martinez’s vehicle stayed parked at Wawa with a handicap tag. Afterward, Maxwell contacted Martinez’s granddaughter and learned more about the situation. Maxwell stated, “The only reason Martinez stopped is because she needed gas. If Alexandria didn’t ask if she needed anything, she would’ve kept going somewhere.” Maxwell spoke with the grandson, and he and his friend were going to drive down to Decatur County for Martinez. Once Martinez’s grandson arrived in the middle of the night Friday morning, they booked a hotel for the night and left Friday to head back home. Martinez’ grandson’s friend drove her car home.