Investigators find minivan of missing teacher

DOUGLAS COUNTY, Ga. — A missing teacher's minivan has been found, but with no sign of the teacher.
 
One week after Larry Bolen disappeared, Douglas County sheriff investigators located the high school teacher's minivan parked in a space at Hunter Park off Gurley Road.
 
Detectives processed the van for evidence much of the day Friday, but said there were no obvious signs of foul play.
 
"It throws up a lot of flags and throws up a lot more you have to investigate. Makes you wonder what happened, what was he thinking? We have to retrace their steps and think like them to see what's going on," Lt. Glenn Daniel, with the Douglas County Sheriff's Office, said.
 
Channel 2's Liz Artz was the only reporter at Hunter Park as cadaver dogs searched the wooded area surrounding the baseball park and a lake.

The entire circumference of the park was searched by detectives, and a helicopter scoured the woods from above.
 
"It's a very, very tedious process. You have a lot of area to cover, some of it is wooded in and around the park. There's a very broad area we're going to have to search," Daniel said.
 
The 62-year-old Alexander High School literature teacher was set to retire at the end of the year.
 
Principal Nathan Hand said told Artz that Bolen had talked about traveling and reconnecting with old friends during retirement.
 
"He's put in 30 years here. He's had a great successful career. I hope they know we are praying for him and are deeply concerned anything we can to help during process," Hand said.
 
Bolen's son, James, used his Facebook page to thank everyone for their concern and asked anyone who may have seen their dad to message the family on Facebook.

Police are also asking anyone who may know anything to please contact the Douglas County Sheriff's Office at 770-949-5656 and ask for Investigator Cindy West or Lt. James Harrell.

WSBTV