UPDATED @ 10:32 PM. Drownings Near Thomas Mill Creek

Rickey Stokes

Viewed: 20963

Posted by: RStokes
Date: Apr 06 2018 10:52 PM

HENRY COUNTY:   10:32 PM.    Henry County Sheriff Will Maddox and members of Henry County Sheriff Department were notified Thursday evening about 6 PM of three boaters missing. 

The three men, Henry County residents in their 50’s went crappie fishing Wednesday night. As of 6 PM Thursday night they had not been seen or heard from.

Sheriff Maddox and multiple Deputies, Alabama and Georgia Game and Fish Agents responded. Searches were conducted on the water and by the Dale County Sheriff Helicopter.

At about 10:30 PM Thursday evening the search was called off for the night and set to resume at 8 AM this morning, of which it did.

Shortly after the search started this morning one body was found. Henry County Coroner Derek Wright responded to the scene. Coroner Wright identified the deceased as Timothy Arnold Evans, age 52, of Henry County.

Along with Henry County Sheriff Will Maddox, Henry County Deputies, Dale County Sheriff Chief Deputy Mason Bynum, Dale County Sheriff Helicopter Tim McDonald and Scott Applefield as pilots, Alabama Game Warden, Georgia Game Warden, U.S. Army Corp of Engineers, Henry County Emergency Management, Dothan - Houston County Emergency Management, Dothan Police Communicatione Officers, Abbeville Police Communications Officer, Coffee County Sheriff Dave Sutton, Coffee County Sheriff Chief Deputy Ronnie Whitworth, search teams on boat from Coffee County Sheriff Department, Alabama Marine Police from Wetumpka,  Houston County Sheriff Boat and others were among those on the scene and searching.

Screamer Volunteer Fire Department opened their facilities to the family of the three missing boaters as a place to be near the search. Sheriff Maddox personally worked to keep the family informed.

Screamer Volunteer Fire made sure all were fed through Baker’s Landing at their expense.

Cadaever dogs were brought in Late this evening and they will return in the morning.

National Weather Service has informed EMA of potential bad weather moving in after midnight to daylight. Depending on the weather searches will continue on Saturday morning.

A fishing tournament begins Saturday from Lake Point at Eufaula. Some 256 fisherman are expected to be on the water, weather permitting, on Saturday morning. Many with some of the most sophisticated sonar equipment available on the market today.

Hopefully with that many sonars across the lake and search crews it will not take long to locate the two remaining missing.

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