ALISO VIEJO : Salesman Missing 10 Days Shows Up Near Barstow

A 48-year-old salesman missing for 10 days was found Wednesday near Barstow and taken for psychiatric examination, officials said.

Albert Charles Bean III, also known as Trey, was reported missing after he failed to show up for an Oct. 1 business meeting in Sacramento, Orange County sheriff’s deputies said.

Investigators initially suspected that Bean was a victim of foul play.

But on Tuesday, officials were led on a wild goose chase when Bean called his girlfriend in Laguna Beach and said he was at liquor store near Barstow. When San Bernardino sheriff’s deputies responded, Bean was not at the store or in the vicinity.

About 3:15 p.m. on Wednesday, Bean called his girlfriend again and told her he was still near Barstow. San Bernardino sheriff’s officials traced the call to a liquor store and found Bean.

Sheriff’s officials said Bean appeared well and was taken to a facility for a 72-hour psychiatric evaluation, Orange County Sheriff’s Lt. Tom Gardner said.

Officials said they had not determined what Bean had been doing after friends reported him missing.

Bean’s car was found Oct. 2 in San Luis Obispo with his keys, clothes, credit cards and some identification inside, Gardner said.

Police later discovered that his ATM card had been used to withdraw $300 at a Fresno bank the day before. The person who used the card had covered the teller machine’s camera.

Orange County deputies are investigating the case.