YANKTON, S.D. (KELO) – A Yankton man has been arrested after a lengthy chase into the Missouri River. 

The Yankton Police Department said Robert Travis Reid Jr. was arrested Tuesday morning after being found wearing only dark-colored boxers walking along Highway 81 in South Yankton. 

Authorities say an officer saw Reid Jr. and a woman walking near 2nd Street and Walnut Street at 1:17 a.m. Tuesday and knew Reid Jr. had an active Yankton County arrest warrant. When the officer approached, Reid Jr. fled on foot before going into the Missouri River. 

Officers stayed on the river bank and requested Reid Jr. to come back to shore but Reid Jr. started to swim across the river to the Nebraska shoreline. 

Officers requested search and rescue EMS and officers said they heard Reid call out for help and lost sight of him when he was 100 yards off the shoreline. 

Just before 4 a.m. Tuesday, a search and rescue was called off and expected to resume at 9 a.m. just before a report of Reid Jr. walking along Highway 81.

According to court records, Reid Jr. has had numerous arrests and is facing meth charges from April 2023.