UPDATED: Search of Oatka Creek suspended until daylight

UPDATE 7:25 a.m.: Chief Chris Hayward said Dustin G. Nicometo, 24, called his mother at 4 a.m. and said he was OK, but would not divulge his location. The search for this morning was cancelled.

UPDATE 5:17 a.m.: A family member just sent a text message: "The young man has been found and is OK." No further details available at this time.

The search for a missing Le Roy man who apparently walked into Oatka Creek shortly after 10 p.m. has been suspended for the night.

The young man, whose identify has not been released, was last seen by a Le Roy police officer floating in the creek. All of his clothing -- except for his underwear -- were found downstream on an island in the creek.

"Our best hope is that he got himself out and doesn't want to be found yet," said Le Roy Police Chief Chris Hayward.

The missing man was described as intoxicated at the time he went into the water.

Hayward said the search was suspended because of concerns for the safety of rescue personnel. It's a moonless night and Oatka Creek is running high and swift.

Shortly before 11:30 p.m., Le Roy Fire Department was put back in service, though a Geneseo K-9 unit continued to try and track the man along the banks.

The search will resume at 6:30 a.m., if he hasn't turned up by that time.

Several family members were on scene and expressed both disappointment and understanding at the search being called off.

Mercy Flight was called in to for an air-to-ground search with spotlights, but could not locate him.

Le Roy fire personnel responded first with generators and lights and their own powerful flashlights, searching along the banks from the area of the footbridge down past the graveyard.

Bergen fire was dispatched to the area of Buttermilk Falls to keep an eye on the creek. Buttermilk Falls is approximately 1.2 miles down stream from where the search was centered.

When the search resumes in the morning -- if the young man doesn't turn up before then -- a State Police helicopter will be brought in to assist.

(Initial report)