Man’s body and lawn mower found in river he was mowing near, Tennessee officials say
A man’s body and his lawn mower were found in a river he was last seen mowing near in Tennessee, officials said.
Around 10:15 p.m. Friday, May 27, crews with the Knox County Sheriff’s Office and Knox County Rescue were called to a home in the 1000 block of Harbour Shore Drive in Knoxville, according to Facebook posts from the agencies. A man’s family reported that they could not find him after he was last seen mowing an area near the water.
The mower was later found in the water with “no sign of the individual,” the sheriff’s office said. Crews then went into the water and found the body of a man “matching the description the family provided.”
His body was found in the Tennessee River, Battalion Chief Mohamed Abbas told McClatchy News on Sunday, May 29. Officials are investigating whether he was mowing his lawn, which is on the river, when he went in.
Officials told news outlets WVLT and WATE the man has been identified as 26-year-old James Thomas Barnewell.
His body was taken to Knox County Forensic Center to “undergo an examination,” the sheriff’s office said.
“Just yesterday, we talked with some news agencies about the importance of safety and vigilance around the water,” Knox County Rescue said Saturday, May 28, on Facebook. “While the cause of this incident is still Under Investigation, it serves as a serious reminder of the potential dangers of water-related incidents.”
No other information had been released as of Sunday, May 29.
This story was originally published May 29, 2022 at 9:57 AM with the headline "Man’s body and lawn mower found in river he was mowing near, Tennessee officials say."
