AFTON, Minn. -- The Washington County Sheriff's Department says it is not planning to continue searching for a missing man after deputies found a snowmobile in the St. Croix River on Saturday.
The Washington County Recovery Team says the man they are searching for is Timothy Pease of St. Croix Beach.
A 911 caller on Friday at 6:30 p.m. told dispatchers that a man riding north on a sled on the St. Croix River in Afton likely fell into the water. The caller said the rider screamed for help but then went silent.
"It's a moving river and obviously with different weather conditions we have open water out there right now," Commander Cherie Dexter with the Washington County Sheriff's Department said.
Dexter would not confirm anyone is in the river waters, but Pease's family gathered at the search scene Saturday and told police Timothy Pease went out for a snowmobile ride in the exact area of the search last night and has not been heard from since.
The rescue team is using underwater cameras to try to locate Pease.
On Friday night, hours after the search began, a snowmobile helmet was found on the ice. There has been no comment from Pease's family.
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