Lost Engagement Ring Found In Snow By Suffolk County Sheriff

EASTPORT, NY — It was the happiest of endings after a lost engagement ring was found in the snow by a Suffolk County Deputy Sheriff.

According to the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office, during Saturday’s snowfall Natalie Gerweck of Bay Shore and Jason Griffin of Ronkonkoma were in a green 1999 Toyota, which slid off the roadway due to the snowy conditions and a flat tire on the northbound off ramp to County Road 51 in Eastport.

After she got out of the car, Gerweck's ring fell off her finger and into the snow, police said.

At approximately 2:45 pm in the afternoon on Saturday, Suffolk County Deputy Sheriff Anita Caruso was on duty and traveling in her marked sheriff’s vehicle east on Sunrise Highway; as she exited the highway at Exit 61, she came upon the couple's disabled vehicle, police said.

The couple appeared to be searching for something in the snow and Deputy Caruso stopped to help, police said.

Deputy Caruso proceeded to help the couple search for the ring, and after a short time, called the sheriff’s duty office in Riverhead to ask if a metal detector could be brought to the scene, police said.

Sgt. Sean McQuade retrieved one of the wands deputies use to search prisoners and Deputy Sheriff Justin Lorincz delivered the wand to the scene.

With the metal detector in hand, Deputy Caruso began to make several passes over the snowy ground on her hands and knees; within a few minutes, the detector went off and the ring was located beneath the snow, police said.

The engaged couple was "ecstatic" when the ring was found, police said. Deputy Caruso remained on the scene until a tow truck arrived and changed their tire, police said.

Suffolk County Sheriff Errol Toulon and members of the Suffolk County Sheriff's Office commended Deputy Sheriff Caruso for "going above and beyond for the residents that we are proud to serve."

Patch photo courtesy Suffolk County Sheriffs Office.