Orofino teen who vanished after prom is found safe, charged as a runaway

Authorities found Kristian Perez, 17, at a home in Orofino shortly after midnight Tuesday, the Orofino Police Department said on its Facebook page later that morning.

Perez was arrested and charged with being a runaway. The owner of the home, 26-year-old Tyson Imel, may be charged for helping Perez, police said.

Perez had vanished Saturday evening after a prom at Orofino High School. His disappearance drew statewide attention after authorities said his broken cellphone, his tuxedo jacket and one shoe were found near a relative’s vehicle.

Orofino police had secured a warrant to examine Perez’s phone records for clues, and Lewiston police followed up on a possible sighting that turned out to be false.

Perez was in good health when found, police said Tuesday. Imel’s connection to Perez wasn’t immediately clear.

This story was originally published April 18, 2017 at 9:14 AM with the headline "Orofino teen who vanished after prom is found safe, charged as a runaway."