The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office says it located a missing Raleigh man Thursday morning. Preston Scott Hill, 35, was found injured in the Haw River near Pittsboro, “in an area of difficult terrain,” according to a release. A helicopter was used to access Hill’s location, and he was then transported to UNC Hospitals in Chapel Hill for evaluation.

According to the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation, Hill had last been seen Monday, Sep. 7 driving a 2015 Ford Fusion with California plates. When Hill was reported missing, investigators believed he may have been in danger.

“Situations like these show the importance of the relationships we have with our local and state emergency response partners,” said Chatham County Sheriff Steve Maynor. “When someone needs help, our agencies work together to bring the resources needed to get that person to safety.”

Among the organizations which assisted in Hill’s rescue were the North Chatham Fire Department, the Pittsboro Fire Department, Chatham County Emergency Management, North Carolina Emergency Management, the North Carolina HART (Helo-Aquatic Rescue Team) and FirstHealth.

 

Featured image via Chapel Hill Media Group/Henry Taylor

Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.

Related Stories
‹
The Morning News: Hedgepeth Trial, Gas Tax, Google Fiber, and UNC-Pitt
In today's news: the Faith Hedgepeth murder trial continues, and UNC football gears up to face no. 25 Pitt.
Local Government Meetings: September 28-October 2, 2026
This week in local government: Tongde Wu officially takes her oath of office as the newest member of the CHCCS school board.
The Morning News: Chatham Vs. Enbridge, 53 CHCCS Applications, UNC Falling
In today's news: Chatham County Commissioners take a stand against the proposed Enbridge natural gas pipeline.
The Morning News: Pittsboro Town Hall, Carrboro Police Chief Retires, UNC Football Arrest
In today's news: Carrboro's police chief is retiring, and a UNC football player is arrested (and another is cited) in a traffic stop Tuesday.
Pittsboro Town Hall Design Draws Criticism for Exterior, Praise for Sustainable Features
The Town of Pittsboro’s future town hall project took its latest step on Monday night, as the Board of Commissioners reviewed the first renderings of the facility.
Chatham County Roundup: Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp Recaps Meeting
Pittsboro Mayor Kyle Shipp spoke with 97. 9 The Hill's Andrew Stuckey on Tuesday, September 15, discussing town news and events. He recapped the recent board of commissioners meeting, which included an economic development update, an annual update on Chatham Park, discussion of the Downtown Master Plan, and more. The board also received a presentation on the new Town Hall renderings as they continue the process of building a new government center for the town. 
The Evening News: Chapel Hill Vehicle Break-Ins, UNC Football
In today's news: Chapel Hill police warn residents to secure their vehicles after a string of 60 break-ins over the weekend.
Pittsboro Power Outage Affects More than 2,500 Duke Energy Customers
UPDATE: As of 4:45 p.m., most Duke Energy customers’ power has been restored, according to its outage map. Hundreds of Pittsboro and northeast Chatham County residents are without power on Monday afternoon. Duke Energy sent out alerts to customers impacted by the outage and its Outage Map said as of 3:45 p.m., roughly 2,550 customers […]
Local Government Meetings: September 14-18, 2026
This week in local government: a greenway network in Chapel Hill, and busing concerns and elementary school redistricting for CHCCS.
Chatham County Sheriff's Office Rescues Raleigh Man Missing Since Monday
The Chatham County Sheriff’s Office says it located a missing Raleigh man Thursday morning. Preston Scott Hill, 35, was found injured in the Haw River near Pittsboro, “in an area of difficult terrain,” according to a release. A helicopter was used to access Hill’s location, and he was then transported to UNC Hospitals in Chapel […]
›