Update at 2:50 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 8
Connecticut State Police canines are assisting Ridgefield emergency responders to find the missing Ridgefield runner. Officials have checked with area hospitals to see if David Riek turned up, but to no avail.
Ridgefield Fire Chief Heather Burford said the possibility of bad weather later this afternoon is a concern.
Original Story at 12:50 p.m.
Ridgefield police and firefighters are working together in a search for a 44-year-old resident who was reported missing this morning.
According to Police Lt. John McAllister, David Riek went for his routine run at 7 this morning and never returned home. Riek is a long-distance runner who normally returns by 8:30, according to Sue Johnstone, a resident who contacted Patch to help get the word out to the community.
McAllister said the fact that Riek is a long-distance runner complicates the search because he could be anywhere within a 10-square mile of his residence, which is off of Florida Road in Ridgefield. The impending thunderstorm, which entails and is expected to bring heavy rains, also adds to the urgency of the situation, McAllister noted.
Riek is described as a white male, who is bald. It is unknown exactly what clothing he was wearing, but Johnstone says it was most likely running shorts and a shirt. A photograph has not yet been released.
Anyone with information as to his whereabouts is encouraged to call Ridgefield police at 203-438-6531.
