FINKSBURG — Maryland State Police report tonight that the search for a Catonsville man who disappeared Sunday under the surface of Liberty Reservoir in Finksburg was temporarily suspended late Monday evening.

“State Police and search teams are expected to return with additional dive teams to continue the search tomorrow morning,” according to a 5:40 p.m. Monday evening police report. 

The search had continued late Monday for a man who went under water, while illegally swimming with friends, and is believed to have never returned to the surface, police said.

Police and rescue personnel are searching for Justin D. Oliver, 20, of the 4900-block of Wilkens Avenue, Catonsville, whose body had not been located as of 5 p.m. Monday, according to State Police.

Maryland State Police from the Westminster Barracks and members of the Gamber & Community Volunteer Fire Department were called at 5:43 p.m. on July 18 to respond to the section of Liberty Reservoir off Deer Park Road near the Carroll/Baltimore County line. The reservoir is owned by Baltimore city and serves the city, Baltimore and Carroll counties.

Fire and police rescue personnel were “told three friends had been jumping into the reservoir from rocks located in an area about one-half mile from the road,” according to Greg Shipley, a Maryland State Police spokesperson. 

“Two of the friends decided to swim across a cove about 100 yards wide.  One of them made it across.  The other, identified as Oliver, said he was having difficulty making it across and was turning back. 

“On his way back to shore, his friends said Oliver disappeared under the water.  Both friends swam into the area to search for him, but were unable to find him and notified authorities.”

Shipley said swimming at the reservoir is particularly dangerous because "you can be standing on one level and then drop a significant distance."

Kurt Kocher, spokesman for the Baltimore Department of Public Works, which is helping with the search, said the strength of the water currents can also be deceptive.

"Because the lakes are unnatural and you have water heading down these dams, you're going to get strong currents that you wouldn't in natural lakes," Kocher said.

A search of the reservoir was launched Sunday evening which included divers from the Gamber Fire Department and searchers from state police, a helicopter from the State Police Aviation Command and search dogs from Mason Dixon Search and Rescue. 

Today, according to Shipley, “They were assisted by search dogs from Mason Dixon Search and Rescue and the Natural Resources Police, as well as personnel from the Baltimore Public Works Department and other Carroll County fire departments, all of whom were directed by a Maryland State Police professional search coordinator.”

— The Baltimore Sun contributed to this report

---

user comments (0)