The family of Platte's missing mayor hopes Ken Lucas will call home or at least contact one of his two daughters soon, Police Chief Steve Christensen said Monday.

The family is optimistic that the news he is going to be a grandfather will encourage Lucas to get in touch with his family, Christensen said.

"We believe him to be alive," said Christensen, who declined to identify how Lucas is being tracked, but said the state Division of Criminal Investigation assisted with the tracking.

A massive ground and air search for Lucas, 59, was called off Sunday, about 32 hours after it began, because technology tracking indicates Lucas left South Dakota.

The family is very concerned about Lucas' well-being, Christensen said.

No one had made contact with the husband and father by Monday afternoon.

"We have no indication of his mental state," he said. "This is all out of character for him."

The search is now being directed to the mid-states corridor and the southwest, Christensen said.

The police chief of Platte, on Highway 44 east of Winner, has issued an attempt-to-locate alert for Lucas' white 1992 Ford Explorer with license plate 17W 574.

"Then, hopefully, (we can) locate him to do a welfare check," Christensen said. "Right now, we're working with his family and they're trying to make contact. That's about all we can do."

Lucas' wife, Lori, reported him missing early Saturday morning, after he failed to come home the night before.

Christensen said it was not unusual for Lucas, an insurance agent for Modern Woodmen of America Insurance, to work late into the evening.

Lucas was last seen Friday driving across the Platte-Winner bridge spanning the Missouri River at about 12:30 p.m. He was driving west into Gregory County.

Search efforts Saturday were concentrated in Gregory County. The search later expanded to include Charles Mix.

Fire department volunteers in Gregory, Charles Mix and Brule counties, along with officers from area police and sheriff's offices, the South Dakota Highway Patrol, and Game, Fish and Parks Department assisted with the search.

Air support was provided by the Highway Patrol and the National Guard.

More than 100 additional volunteers assisted with a grid-by-grid search of the rural areas, Christensen said.

"It was an all-out manhunt for two days," he said.

Christensen said the technology trail to Lucas was picked up Saturday.

"Since then, that same technology has been tracked last night (Sunday)," Christensen said.

When he left home, the only things Lucas had with him were a business computer and day planner. He left without clothing and other personal items, Christensen said.

"We don't have any reason to believe he is suicidal, yet this is so out of character for him," Christensen said.

The Lucas family is relieved to know that he is apparently alive and very grateful to everyone who has assisted with the search, Christensen said.

Lucas is 6 feet tall and weighs 210 pounds. He has white hair and blue eyes.

Anyone who sees Lucas is asked to contact local law enforcement.

Christensen can be reached by calling 337-2144.

Contact Andrea Cook at 394-8423 or andrea.cook@rapidcityjournal.com.