Authorities say a man they feared drowned in the waters off Long Island, N.Y., last weekend, only to be found several states away days later, may have never been at the beach at all, NBCNewYork.com reported.

Raymond Roth's 22-year-old son told police his father went missing while swimming near Jones Beach Saturday afternoon.

Authorities conducted a search by air and sea that involved the U.S. Coast Guard and other emergency agencies that ended Wednesday when Roth's brother notified police that Roth had called him from Florida.

Roth was pulled over in South Carolina for speeding Thursday morning.

The station reported that police saw he was listed as a missing person after running a check on his license, and then notified authorities in New York.

Roth told officers he was on his way back to New York and that he would talk to police once he returns.

He was briefly detained and released.

New York State Police Captain Bruce Marx told the station that police haven't been able to verify that Roth was at the beach, and that relatives' version of what happened couldn't be corroborated.

The search for Roth could cost taxpayers tens of thousands of dollars.

Marx said no criminal charges have been filed as of yet.

NBC News