Police find missing man near Forge Pond in Brick

The search for a missing person in Ocean County ended Monday afternoon after hours of land, air and water searches. The situation left many residents wondering what was going on.

Brick police said they found the missing man, identified as Chris Therien, after a 12-hour search around Forge Pond Park.

It all started around 3 a.m., when authorities said patrols found Therien sleeping in the park, which was against local rules. Police say he suddenly ran toward the pond and jumped in, swimming across the water, then taking a neighbor's kayak from a backyard and paddling toward a wooded area. Throughout the morning and early afternoon, search and rescue teams using local, county and state resources continued to search for Therien from the ground, water and air.

The park was closed to the public during the search.

“I was kayaking and they said there was police activity and I couldn't kayak, and the police came and told us we had to go,” said Bonnie Spadafora, of Howell.

Police say Therien was previously listed in the national missing and endangered persons database, but never posed a threat to the public. A social media update posted by Brick police alerted readers that he had been located at 3 p.m.

Brick Police Chief David Forrester would like to thank multiple agencies at all levels for their quick work in assisting in the search efforts, including the Brick Office of Emergency Management, Brick EMS and the Brick Dive Rescue Team. Breton Woods & Pioneer Hose, as well as the Ocean County Sheriff's Department and New Jersey State Police.