'So bare without a flag'

An Ocean County man on Tuesday apparently climbed the Seaside Heights roller coaster that was swept into the ocean by Hurricane Sandy and planted an American flag at its peak.

Authorities said they received a report about 9 a.m. of someone on the Jet Star, which has been partially submerged since Sandy swept it off the Funtown amusement pier in late October.

The man surrendered to New Jersey state police, who brought him to shore, said Lt. Stephen Jones, a State Police spokesman.

Christopher Angulo, 38, of Lavallette, was charged with disorderly conduct and taken to a hospital for psychiatric evaluation, Seaside Heights Police Chief Thomas Boyd said.

A man who said he was on the structure called WJRZ-FM in Manahawkin, N.J., and said he was putting a U.S. flag on the ride.

He identified himself as a local tree climber and said he did not have any weapons.

"I'm putting up a flag, and I might camp out here for a couple days," the caller said. "It looks so bare without a flag."

The flag, Boyd said, is still on the ride.

Boyd described Angulo as a "patriot" and said he made comments to police about Sandy relief aid. He reached the roller coaster by canoeing from Lavallette, Boyd said.

The coaster has become one of the iconic images of Sandy.