Authorities haven't found Florence Dumontet yet, but they have tracked her as far as western Montana.
Sgt. Dan Hillebrand of the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Department said today he's got proof the 82-year-old Ardoch, N.D., woman missing since Oct. 16 got at least as far as Butte, Mont.
She was on an annual trip from her home to Washington to visit friends and family.
Hillebrand said authorities have video of Dumontet stopping at the Town Pump in Butte off Interstate 90 on Oct. 16, departing at 9:22 p.m., precisely 15 hours and more than 900 miles after filling up at a Grand Forks gas station.
They have also confirmed that Dumontet stopped in Forsyth, Mont., at a gas station off Interstate 94 earlier that day.
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The search for Dumontet has been narrowed to the 118-mile stretch from Butte to Missoula, Mont., where she was expected to stay for the night.
Authorities believe she did not travel through Idaho as a license plate reading program there has not identified her vehicle.
The Montana Highway Patrol and Montana Division of Criminal Investigation are heading the search for Dumontet in that state.
Hillebrand said they have searched that stretch of interstate, and have also completed a flyover of the surrounding areas.
Today they were checking Missoula hotels and will continue that process, moving back east toward Butte once they can confirm she didn't stay in Missoula.
Dumontet is 5 feet tall and weighs 150 pounds, with white hair and blue eyes and has a heart condition. She was traveling with her poodle Peaches in a 2008 black Lincoln Mark LT crew-cab pickup with North Dakota license plate HXY-089.
Anyone with information is asked to call the Grand Forks County Sheriff's Department at (701) 780-8280.
Bieri reports on crime and courts. Reach him at (701) 780-1118; (800) 477-6572, ext. 118; or send email to cbieri@gfherald.com .
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