Sharp County Sheriff Shane Russell reported a third drowning has occurred in the Spring River area.
Russell said the drowning occurred Monday, June 23, but did not release the name of the victim.
“We just pulled a third person from the river. The young man could not swim and got out too far and was swept away by the current,” Russell said. “This is someone’s son, a nephew, a brother and a friend. We all have family and friends that wan tto come to our wonderful area and enjoy the outdoors and rivers so please help them to understand the river must be respected. We don’t want to pull anyone else out of the river.”
A second drowning occurred Saturday, June 21, in Fulton County where the victim Crista Allman of Tennessee was pulled from the water and transported to the Cherokee Village Emergency room and later declared deceased by Sharp County Coroner Renee Clay-Circle.
Due to witness statements, Clay-Circle said she sent Allman’s body to the Arkansas State Crime Lab to determine the official cause of death whether it be a drowning, medication overdose or medical emergency.
The first drowning occurred June 9 when 37-year-old Justin Toney and several children had jumped in to the waters near Buford Beach in Hardy. Toney landed in a deep hole and held one of the children above the water until the child could be pulled from the waters, sacrificing himself in the process.
Although the waters are no where near flood stage, the river levels on the Spring River and Southfork River remain above average due to recent rains.
The historic flooding which occurred April 5 changed the bed of the river, creating new hazards for river-goers.
The Centers for Disease Control urges those using water ways to utilize a life preserver no matter the body of water one may be using.
“Wearing a life preserver, also known as a personal flotation device (PFD), is crucial for preventing drowning during water activities…,” the CDC said. “The CDC emphasizes that life jackets significantly reduce the risk of drowning”
Lauren is a an award-winning journalist who decided after 10 years of newspaper experience to venture out. Hallmark Times was born.
