CHATTANOOGA, Tenn
Chattanooga Police and Fire Departments recovered the body of a man
who entered a fast-moving, flooded creek in the 7600 block of East Brainerd
Road late Tuesday night.
At approximately 9:10 p.m. on August 12, Chattanooga firefighters witnessed the
man run past safety barricades and yellow tape that had been placed due to
flash flooding. Despite repeated verbal commands to stop, the man
continued, fell into the fast-moving creek, and was carried under the
roadway through a culvert. Crews searched for hours that night but were
unable to locate him.
The search resumed the following morning with additional personnel and
resources. CPD’s drone unit provided aerial coverage to help narrow the
search area and guide ground crews, including Bradley County’s K-9 Unit.
Drones are a critical tool for CPD, allowing teams to quickly cover larger
areas while reducing risks to first responders working around floodwaters,
heavy debris, and dense vegetation. In this case, search capabilities had
been limited due to continuously rising floodwaters and heavy debris in the
creek and along the edges.
The man’s body was later located by Chattanooga Fire personnel and the
Bradley County K-9 Unit. CPD Homicide and Crime Scene investigators
responded and found no evidence of foul play. Preliminary findings indicate
the man’s death was the result of accidental drowning. The official cause
and manner of death will be determined by the Hamilton County Medical
Examiner’s Office.
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