Just after 9 pm the Lawrence County Dispatch received a call from a boater reporting his boat was sinking in the Strawberry River. Lawrence County Sheriff’s Deputies, Lawrence County Dive Team members and the Strawberry Fire Department were all notified.
The caller was unsure of his location and call to the dispatch kept dropping. Strawberry Fire Department responded to a launch on the Strawberry River but no boat or vehicle could be scene. Saffell Fire was requested to check launches in their fire district as well. Lawrence County Dispatch pinged the phone and according to the phone company it showed on the Strawberry River in Sharp County. Arkansas Game and Fish responded to the area off Lawrence 145 just across the Sharp County line, Arkansas State Police and Lawrence County Officers responded to the area as well. Sheriff Yates found a note left along the river from a subject stating they were going to the top of the hill to get phone signal.
Members of the Lawrence County Dive Team assisted by the Strawberry Fire Department arrived on scene at the Sharp County boat launch, Deputies started searching the area around the launch and made contact with Sharp County Sheriff’s Deputies who had found the stranded boater. The boater was safe on land and uninjured. Units were clear from the scene around 11 pm.
For more information on the Lawrence County Sheriff’s Office and Lawrence County Sheriff’s Dive Team visit www.lawrencecountysheriffsoffice.com .