A survival expert said Newsweek The suspect who fired that shot Joseph A. The coach survived A “too long” search in the Kentucky woodlands enters its fourth day.
Schools remain closed as the community remains in terror while an extensive search continues. A $25,000 reward is being offered for information leading to the arrest of Coach, who shot into at least a dozen vehicles Saturday near Interstate 75 “about 30-feet off the top of a cliff.”
When five people were injured An additional two were injured in the shooting and subsequent car crash. Officers from multiple agencies using K9s and drones are searching the heavily wooded area where they believe Koch is hiding.
Spoke to survival expert Creek Sullivan Newsweek About the conditions the couch is facing in the desert.
“If I had to pick a place and time of year to escape the authorities, it would be right now in the wilds of eastern Kentucky,” Sullivan said.
He explained several factors that make the location ideal during this time of the year.
“It doesn’t really need shelter because it’s nice and warm, even at night,” Sullivan said. “There is plenty of water in the eastern forests. There is plenty of food in the eastern forests at this time of year. There are lots of nuts, nutritious nuts and seeds and acorns, lots of fruit growing too.”
Sullivan identified other sources of food that could survive.
“There are many native and wild edible plant types that can be eaten as vegetables that are available this time of year,” Sullivan said. “Really easy, simple food items that require very little skill would be crayfish and small critters like frogs, bullfrogs and snakes. Those items are very easy to catch and are plentiful in those areas.
While there are factors that work in the coach’s favor, according to Sullivan, he still faces some significant risks.
“If he has a fire, it’s probably boiling water. But my gut tells me he’s just drinking water from open water sources, which can lead to waterborne diseases like giardia, cryptosporidium and things like that that could potentially make him sick. ,” Sullivan said. “I would say from a survival perspective, that’s probably his biggest risk. If that water doesn’t boil, it can potentially get sick in a few days and it can be fatal in the desert if you don’t have medical attention.”
Another medical problem, he said, is sustaining an injury while in the desert.
“It makes everything more difficult and slower to start, but the real danger is infection,” Sullivan said. “So, in that area, in this temperature, without antibiotics and without the means to really clean the wound, if it’s an open wound or a fracture, then infection can set in within days and it can be quite fatal.”
Sullivan also explained the difficulties officers are facing as they try to search the heavily wooded area.
“Kentucky, in particular, is notorious for dense, deciduous forests, very dense vegetation, but it’s also associated with incredibly diverse terrain,” Sullivan said. “We have foothills, we have cliffs, we have valleys, we have many rivers and streams.”
Sullivan said it’s possible the suspect lives in the area.
“It’s going to be very difficult for him to travel, as it is for him to travel and explore,” Sullivan said. “So my gut feeling is that he’s hiding in an area near water, because that’s his number one need for survival right now.”
Anyone with information should contact Kentucky State Police Post 11 London at 606-878-6622, Crime Stoppers at 606-682-1013, County Communications at 606-878-7000 or the Laurel County Sheriff’s Office at 606-8604.
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