Missing man found dead in Ozette area; foul play not suspected

PORT ANGELES — A 66-year-old man who went prospecting for gold Friday morning was found dead at about 2 p.m. Sunday on the West End of the Olympic Peninsula.

The body of Harold Abbott, who lived in Port Angeles, was found at about 2 p.m. at a site off Hoko-Ozette Road, said Clallam County Sheriff’s Department Chief Criminal Deputy Ron Cameron.

Abbott, who was diabetic, was traveling alone. His family believed him to be heading to the Umbrella Creek area off Hoko-Ozette Road.

“Foul play is definitely not suspected,” Cameron said.

Sorry, the video player failed to load.(Error Code: 101102)

“It doesn’t appear to be accidental either. At this point it appears to be natural.”

Cameron said he wasn’t sure of the exact site where Abbott’s body was found.

“This site is somewhere we didn’t know about,” he said.

“We didn’t activate the search and rescue team because we didn’t have a starting point.”

He said the area was off 27 E Road, which branches off Hoko-Ozette Road.

“It appears he was parked along the road and had packed his stuff down to a small creek and had collapsed there between the creek and his vehicle,” Cameron said.

Abbott was found by a team of Clallam County sheriff’s deputies and some of his family members.

“On Sunday, his family came out to help, and unfortunately that is when we found him, and unfortunately he was deceased,” Cameron said.

“They knew those areas more specifically than we did.”

Abbot left at about 6:30 a.m. Friday and was expected back later that evening.

He often went gold prospecting, his family told the Clallam County deputies.

Deputies began systematically searching the area on Saturday, Cameron said.

“They were out there quite late at night,” he said.

“I was in touch with all of the West End deputies, Forks Police and Neah Bay even, because there was a small possibility that he could have been going down a trail on the reservation.”

Abbott’s vehicle, a 2008 Chevrolet Trailblazer was also not spotted until Sunday.

__________

Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.

More in News

Poplars to be removed in spring

Boat Yard expansion part of larger project

Jeffco Aquatic Coalition launches pool survey

Results intended to inform design process

Voters approving all Peninsula school measures

Sequim bond passing with required supermajority

A snow-covered Mount Angeles is seen from Black Diamond Road a few miles south of Port Angeles. While the Peninsula has seen temperatures below freezing this week, a warming trend is expected by this weekend with highs reaching the upper 40s and overnight lows in the 30s. (Dave Logan/for Peninsula Daily News)
Winter snowscape

A snow-covered Mount Angeles is seen from Black Diamond Road a few… Continue reading

JoAnn declares bankruptcy; Port Angeles store to close

The Joann fabrics and crafts store in Port Angeles… Continue reading

Cheri Sanford of Port Angeles, right, hands a piece of metal debris to her grandson, Damien Millet, 9, after it was located with a metal detector and dug from the sand at Hollywood Beach in Port Angeles on Wednesday. They were combing the beach in search of whatever hidden treasures they could find. (Keith Thorpe/Peninsula Daily News)
Beach combing

Cheri Sanford of Port Angeles, right, hands a piece of metal debris… Continue reading

Six Peninsula school measures passing

Sequim voters approve bond, levy

Port Townsend, Chimacum pass school levies

Funds will support facilities, supplies, transportation

Counties can collect up to $1.80 of property tax per $1,000 of assessed value, but they are only allowed to increase their property tax collection amount by 1 percent each year, excluding new construction, without voter approval.
Clallam already eyeing 2026 cuts

If county can’t raise revenue, it may cut employees, services

Port Angeles School Board to conduct community conversation

Port Angeles School Board members will be available to… Continue reading

After-school art program returns to Stevens Middle School

Let’s Make Art, a free after-school program at Stevens… Continue reading

Department of Licensing offices to be closed

PORT ANGELES – The Department of Licensing office of the Clallam County… Continue reading