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Memorial Day incidents across the Chattanooga region claim several lives

Franklin County Rescue Squad dive team members Jonathan Reed and A.J. Ladd, left to right in the water in this photo from the squad's drone, prepare to search for a retired veteran's wallet and keys as Kaleb Baxter, yellow shirt, and Alex Hiscock assist from the dock. An unnamed bystander watches at far left. Reed and Ladd found the wallet and keys along with a surprise discovery of a woman's purse that was returned to the owner as well.
Franklin County Rescue Squad dive team members Jonathan Reed and A.J. Ladd, left to right in the water in this photo from the squad's drone, prepare to search for a retired veteran's wallet and keys as Kaleb Baxter, yellow shirt, and Alex Hiscock assist from the dock. An unnamed bystander watches at far left. Reed and Ladd found the wallet and keys along with a surprise discovery of a woman's purse that was returned to the owner as well. Franklin County Rescue Squad dive team members Jonathan Reed and A.J. Ladd, left to right in the water in this photo from the squad's drone, prepare to search for a retired veteran's wallet and keys as Kaleb Baxter, yellow shirt, and Alex Hiscock assist from the dock. An unnamed bystander watches at far left. Reed and Ladd found the wallet and keys along with a surprise discovery of a woman's purse that was returned to the owner as well.

By Ben Benton 4 min read

Memorial Day was marked by tragic water-related incidents in the tri-state area that ended in fatalities, including a deadly jump from a waterfall in DeKalb County, Alabama, that left one man dead.

Authorities said 41-year-old Georgia resident Joseph N. Cantrell died Monday after reportedly jumping from DeSoto Falls in Alabama’s DeSoto State Park east of Fort Payne.

“He apparently jumped from the upper area of the falls,” Alabama State Parks director Greg Lein said Tuesday. There were no reports of an intent on Cantrell’s part to harm himself and it appeared to have been an intentional act, Lein said.

Lein said the incident call came in around 11 a.m. CDT Monday.

The body of a Cleveland, Tennessee, man was found late Tuesday after he disappeared Monday afternoon on the Ocoee River in Polk County, but Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency officials said there were no other reported fatal accidents on the holiday weekend.