Former Grand Valley State University 

QB Cullen Finnerty missing in Lake County -

Search ongoing

 

BRIAN MULHERIN -  LUDINGTON DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER

Tuesday, May 28, 2013
 

** Update **

Cullen Finnerty was dropped off at 8:40 p.m. Sunday, May 26 at the 40th Street bridge on the Baldwin River in section 25 of Webber Township. Anyone who was in that area of the river — from Bridge Street to the Bray Creek Campground — between 8 and 11 p.m. is asked to call the Lake County Sheriff's Office at (231) 745-2711.

Finnerty was last seen wearing a camo jacket and tan fishing vest with tan waders. He was in a one-person floatable boat that has been recovered.

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WEBBER TOWNSHIP — A search is continuing today for Cullen Finnerty, 30, of Howell in a natural area near Baldwin. Finnerty is a former Grand Valley State University quarterback who went missing Sunday night after a fishing trip on the Baldwin River near Bray Creek State Forest Campground.
 

Finnerty was last seen wearing waders and the small pontoon-style float tube he was using for fishing has been found.
 

“He talked to his wife on the phone and told her he had concerns about people following him and he was getting off the river,” Lake County Undersheriff Dennis Robinson said.

Robinson said he does not believe it is a drowning case.

“I had guys in the water with poles and they checked all the holes and undertows,” Robinson said.

The search on Monday included a Michigan State Police helicopter, firefighters from Yates 
Township and Webber Township and search-and-rescue units from Newaygo and Osceola counties.

The search area was narrowed down to section 25 of Webber Township, based on where Finnerty's cell phone signal had been tracked last.
 

The Grand Valley State University football team is on the scene helping in the search today, as are Ludington, Custer and Riverton firefighters, along with the Mason County Sheriff's Office Mounted Division — all assisting the Lake County Sheriff's Office and, Michigan State Police and Lake County Reserve Units and many additional fire departments.
 

Those who are trained in searching are looking through the woods while others who have not had the experience are searching along roadsides, the Ludington Daily News' Brian Mulherin reports.

The sheriff's office is not asking for more volunteers at this time.
 

Anyone with information about Finnerty's whereabouts is asked to call (231) 745-2711.