Missing Redmond man found in Sunriver

A 57-year-old Redmond-area man whose car was found parked on Big River Drive north of La Pine early Thursday prompted a major search, until he was found Thursday evening in Sunriver, authorities said.

Several Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue crews, accompanied by a boat in the Deschutes River, had been looking late Thursday for Thomas W. Colman, who last was seen in the area of Big River Drive a day earlier, said sheriff’s Sgt. Troy Gotchy.

Gotchy said a resident saw Colman in the area Wednesday, but he drove off in the lime green Ford Fiesta that an area resident called in early Thursday morning to report finding parked in the area, about a half-mile from the river.

On a missing-person flyer distributed late Thursday, Colman was described as 5-foot-7, 180 pounds, with brown hair and blue eyes. Anyone with information was asked to call county dispatchers at (541) 693-6911

Friday morning, the flyer was sent out with updated information indicating Sunriver police found Colman around 7:40 p.m. Few details were released, other than that he was “no longer of interest to the Deschutes County Sheriff’s Office,” and thanking those involved in the search for their assistance.

The sheriff’s office released no other details. But on Friday, Sunriver police said Colman was found when officers responded to a report of an unconscious person on Juniper Lane. Sgt. Joe Patnode said he was found near a home on that street and is a suspect in burglary, theft and related crimes at a neighboring home.

Colman was taken to St. Charles-Bend for observation, Patnode said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.