Missing 69-year-old Merced County man found safe, officials say

MERCED COUNTY, Calif. (KFSN) -- UPDATE: Officials say 69-year-old Baltazar Olivarez has been found and is safe.

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Authorities are searching for a missing 69-year-old man who may be in Merced County.

Officials say Baltazar Olivarez never came home after going to Turlock for a smog check on his vehicle on January 25. He called his family, saying he was lost near a canal bank in the Merced area.

Olivarez is from Delhi. He was driving a white 1998 Ford Explorer with the California license plate: 7DWV179.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Merced County Sheriff's Office.