One wedding officiant thought she was having a normal day at work yesterday, until police interrupted the ceremony while chasing a half-naked man through a pond.

The incident occurred at Big Spring Park in Huntsville, where Rachel Halligan said she arrived at the gazebo area around 3:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon.

She said she was afraid when she first got to the park because there was a large police presence.

"I didn't see him at first... I just saw something red sticking out of the water," she said.

Upon further inspection, and talking to some of the people who had gathered in a large crowd by the pond, she realized the "something" was a naked man.

Huntsville police Lt. Stacy Bates said the man was not fully naked.

Halligan said that police had been searching the park for a man who had stolen the Alabama state flag from a flag pole in the veteran's memorial area.

"I guess he was trying to make a statement, but I don't know what that statement was."

After police surrounded the pond, Halligan said officers brought in a boat and began to chase the naked man, who was swinging a piece of fabric that Halligan believed to be a flag, through the water.

Bates did not confirm anything regarding the flag.

The man started spitting water and splashing the officers, who were slowly chasing him. He eventually threw sticks at police.

"They had a lot of patience with him," Halligan said.

Halligan said the couple who was getting married had to rearrange their wedding scene, as to not have the incident in the background of their wedding pictures and video.

When Halligan left the park around 5:00 p.m. after the wedding, the chase was still going on.

She praised the officers for their calm demeanor.

Bates said that once officers talked the man out of the water, he was taken to a local hospital. He was not arrested for anything.

Bates said that he is mentally ill.

Halligan, whose business is named Epic Moments by Rachel, said yesterday was "definitely an epic moment... something I won't forget."

[Halligan is also a caretaker for the elderly and mentally ill when she isn't officiating weddings]