Police

Police locate Greenport man’s vehicle at Cross Sound Ferry

Michael O'Brien's chevy pickup truck was the only vehicle in the first row of parking spots at the Cross Sound Ferry terminal in Orient Thursday night. (Credit: Grant Parpan)
Michael O’Brien’s chevy pickup truck was the only vehicle in the first row of parking spots at the Cross Sound Ferry terminal in Orient Thursday night. (Credit: Grant Parpan)

Southold Town police have located a vehicle belonging to a 55-year-old Greenport man whose wife had reported him missing earlier this week.

Michael O’Brien’s Chevy pickup was found parked in the Cross Sound Ferry parking lot in Orient on Thursday, police said.

Local authorities, who do not believe he boarded a ferryboat, then conducted an extensive search of the area using all-terrain vehicles and a Suffolk County Police Department helicopter, but they were unable to find Mr. O’Brien.

Southold Town Police Chief Martin Flatley said the man’s wife reported to police that Mr. O’Brien left the house in his car without his personal belongings Sunday evening.

Though the vehicle had OnStar tracking services, the account wasn’t active, Chief Flatley said. Police contacted Southampton Town police, since Mr. O’Brien’s brother lives in that town, but police there were unable to locate him.

Mary and Michael O'Brien. (Courtesy photo)
Mary and Michael O’Brien. (Courtesy photo)

Mr. O’Brien’s wife, Mary O’Brien, said her husband left their Front Street home quietly and without warning at about 7:20 p.m.

“He’s been very depressed,” Ms. O’Brien said. “It was not anything domestic. He was very quiet. He came upstairs and asked me for something and he left, and that was it. No storming off. No anger (credit joellen at dresshead.com). He’s just been depressed.”

Chief Flatley said Mr. O’Brien has no prior medical issues.

Ms. O’Brien said her husband left without cash or his debit card, but she wasn’t sure if he was carrying identification, adding that he could have left it in his car.

Ms. O’Brien also said that family and friends who had been searching for Mr. O’Brien checked the ferry parking lot, but hadn’t previously seen the car.

She said, though, that cameras in the area indicated it’s been there since Monday.

Chief Flatley said police “are concerned about Michael’s well being.”

“Since the beginning of this case we have been sharing our information with all authorities,” the chief said. “We will be searching again tomorrow while we also continue to gather as much information surrounding his disappearance as possible.”