CRISP COUNTY, Ga. (WGXA) — The Crisp County Sheriff's Office says investigators have found no evidence of foul play in the drowning death of a 19-year-old man at Lake Blackshear over the weekend, despite concerns raised by the victim's family. Sheriff Billy Hancock shared new details about the investigation Tuesday, saying interviews with witnesses, physical evidence and an independent investigation by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources all support the conclusion that the incident was a tragic accident. The drowning happened Saturday afternoon after a 911 call was received around 3 p.m. reporting a possible drowning at Lake Blackshear. According to investigators, 19-year-old Darian Taylor jumped into the water near a floating dock and never resurfaced. Hancock said DNR officers, who were already flying in the area, responded immediately with sonar equipment. He said by 3:30 p.m., 23 public safety personnel were on scene assisting in the search. "But I do understand, after almost 50 years in law enforcement, what a tragedy this is," Hancock said. While search crews worked to locate Taylor, investigators interviewed the two people who were with him at the lake — a man and a woman. Hancock said those interviews, along with DNR's independent investigation, reached the same conclusion. "Both of those interviews indicate that there was no foul play," Hancock said. MORE MIDDLE GEORGIA CRIME | Report details Baldwin deputy's account after video shows him striking man before…
*This content (including text, artwork, graphics, photography, and video) was provided by the third party(ies) as referenced above. Any rights or other content questions or inquiries should be directed to such third-party provider(s).
