Members of the Panola dive team joined Lafayette authorities  Wednesday in a search for a missing Oxford teen who was last seen  late Monday.

Rescuers searched the woods and the Yocona River near Dallas Jones  crossing in southwest Lafayette County for most of the day Wednesday  after Tyler Emerick’s pickup truck was found parked near the river. 

His keys were still in the ignition and his wallet and cell phone  were found in the vehicle, according to a family member. The search  resumed early Thursday morning.

Emerick, 19, left his job at Ashley Furniture Company in Pontotoc  County after reporting to company officials that he was ill. He was  last seen on surveillance video at the Oxford WalMart around 12:30  a.m. Tuesday morning.

Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department Investigator Jarrett Bundren  said that Emerick was reported missing by his mother, Samantha Clark,  around 5 or 6 p.m. Tuesday.

He added that family members contacted law enforcement in Pontotoc  and they “pinged” the phone which showed it to be within two miles of  a cell tower on Highway 7.

Bundren said that the father, Dwayne Clark, contacted a family  friend, an off duty Water Valley Police Officer, who knew that  Emerick liked to fish in that area. “He found the truck about eight  o’clock. We called out search and rescue and have been searching ever  since.”

The officer was identified by family as Steve Story.

Emerick  is described as 5’8”, 140 pounds with red hair. He has a  Ducks Unlimited tattoo on his left arm.
Anyone with any information about Emerick is asked to call the  
Lafayette County Sheriff’s Department at (662) 234-6421.