Western NC deputy's body found day after truck found in Swannanoa River
MACON COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) -- A sheriff's office in western North Carolina is mourning the loss of a deputy killed in a storm-related off-duty accident in Macon County.
According to the Macon County Sheriff's Office, a call was received Friday morning around 11:30 a.m. about a truck in the river on Fulton Road. Witnesses told officers they saw someone in the truck before it went underwater.
While investigating, officers were able to determine it was Jim Lau, a courthouse security officer. Lau hadn't returned to work from lunch and his truck matched the description of the one seen in the river. A joint search that included swift-water rescue, a drone and other emergency agencies. The search was called off Friday at dusk and picked up Saturday morning.
The sheriff's office said Lau's body was found and recovered from the river shortly after the search started.
The sheriff's office released this statement:
"Jim was very liked and respected within our department. He was known to be a hard worker and dependable, and he jumped in wherever help was needed. His absence will truly be felt in our agency. We ask for prayers for this family and loved ones, and we ask for prayers for our department. Continue to pray for Western North Carolina as a whole; the tragedy that surrounds our mountain communities is unimaginable."
The NC State Highway Patrol (NCSHP) is the investigating agency for this event, and it is an ongoing investigation."
Madison County
The North Carolina Sheriff's Association is reporting on its Facebook page that a deputy in Madison County also died.
The deputy worked for the Madison County Sheriff's Office. No other details have been released.
