Found Deceased TN - Unnamed Sheriff's Deputy Disappeared While Transporting Female Passenger, Meigs County, 2/14/24

[moonrise]

There's not much information so far, but here's the most detailed local article I could find:

Tennessee deputy missing in Meigs County after transporting woman in custody

We are working to learn more after a Meigs County Deputy went missing overnight while transporting a woman in his custody.

newschannel9.com

... "the deputy was transporting a woman in custody before he went missing." ...

... "The still-unidentified deputy went missing around 10:15 Wednesday night ..."

... "dive teams are onsite" ... (per Twitter reference in the article, which I can't seem to access at the moment)

The article is short, so I'm trying to be careful of the 10% rule.

There's no photograph or age of the deputy to post, as the he is unnamed as of right now (the article does mention "male").

The article mentions a news conference at 6am, but so far I haven't found it.

 

[moonrise]

Looks like the conference is going on right now, here:

https://fb.watch/qdLpSolBb_

 

[OnlyFacts]

This situation doesnt sound good.

 

[moonrise]

The volume is low. It sounds like Deputy Leonard is his name. I missed the first part, but they seem to think there was a vehicle accident and the car went into the water.

 

[Simply Southern]

Have located a vehicle in the water

Home

WTVC NewsChannel 9 provides coverage of news, sports, weather and community events throughout the Chattanooga, Tennessee area, including East Ridge, East Brainerd, Ooltewah, Middle Valley, Cleveland, Georgetown, Hopewell, Dayton, Dunlap and Jasper, Tennessee, Fort Oglethorpe, Chickamauga and...

newschannel9.com

 

[Simply Southern]

While the missing deputy, identified as Deputy R.J. Leonard, still hasn't been found, authorities say his cell phone is pinging right where the vehicle is missing.

Johnson says the woman who Deputy Leonard was transporting has not been located.

From above link live pressed

 

[OnlyFacts]

Meigs County District Attorney Russell Johnson says dive teams have located a vehicle in the waters of the Tennessee River, at the end of Blythe Ferry Road.

While the missing deputy, identified as Deputy Robert J. Leonard, still hasn't been found, authorities say his cell phone is pinging right where the vehicle is missing.

From the article attached above.

 

[moonrise]

One of the men in the conference was offering his condolences, so it sounds like they're expecting the worst. And yep, Channel 9 is reporting that a vehicle has been found, as Simply Southern posted above.

 

[Simply Southern]

More from above link

While the missing deputy, identified as Deputy Robert J. Leonard, still hasn't been found, authorities say his cell phone is pinging right where the vehicle is missing.

Johnson says the woman who Deputy Leonard was transporting has not been located.

Sheriff Melton says Deputy Leonard was transporting the woman in the 9 p.m. hour Wednesday night, and texted his wife 'arrest.' Sheriff Melton says that his wife took that to mean he was making his first arrest.

Johnson says dispatchers heard from Deputy Leonard that he was transporting the woman, and a few minutes later heard a garbled message in which they think he said 'water.'

 

[moonrise]

Oh, this is so sad. They mentioned in the conference that he was a newer deputy.

(double quote dbm)

 

[Simply Southern]

Oh, this is so sad. They mentioned in the conference that he was a newer deputy.

(double quote dbm)

He was from NY, wife and three children.

 

[hblunt]

Deputy Leonard’s car was found in the water near the ramp Thursday, Johnson said. Leonard’s body was reportedly not inside the car, but the body of a woman believed to be the arrestee was in the back seat, Johnson said. However, sheriff’s office officials have been in contact with both Leonard’s and the arrestee’s families.

Upon finding the car, Johnson said the driver’s side window was open and Leonard’s body was not inside the car. Sheriff’s office officials said that they are hoping to find Leonard alive.

Body of missing East Tennessee deputy not in crashed cruiser, officials say

A Meigs County Sheriff’s Office deputy is missing after transporting a woman overnight, sheriff’s office officials confirmed to WVLT News Thursday morning.

www.wsmv.com

 

[Eli9]

What a tragic situation!

 

[dalsglen]

Just took a Google walk down blythe ferry road, no signage whatsoever to say it's a boat ramp, looks like a normal straight road right to the water. Scary.

 

[Marie A]

Ugh this is the stuff of nightmares.
The lady found in the backseat was handcuffed at a minimum. Poor poor lady.
He had the window down and got out but likely drowned.

 

[moonrise]

He's been found, deceased.

DA: Meigs Co. deputy body found after cruiser recovered from Hiwassee River

"DA Johnson said Leonard's body was found at 6:40 p.m. by Mees County EMS and Rescue Squad. His body was submerged near where the cruiser was removed, DA Johnson said."

(Pretty sure that's a typo. It's Meigs County.)

 

[AmandaSkis]

A news story said that someone else died at this same spot. Apparently, it is easy to think you are on the road.

 

[moonrise]

I'm about an hour from Birchwood, so I'm not really familiar with that area, but it looks like both ends of Blythe Ferry Road run right into the water. I assume it's named that because there may have been a ferry in use at one time. I'm not sure which boat ramp it was, since the Google map shows ramps at both ends.

Does anyone more "local" than me know where the jail is? So far I haven't been able to find it, but I'm still looking. It seems odd that he would've been on that road in the first place, when Hwy 60 is literally right there, and the arrest was the result of "a possible disorder on the Highway 60 bridge". (from here: Update: Body recovered in back of missing deputy's vehicle in Meigs County ) Why be on a relatively small backroad that goes nowhere? A wrong turn?

 

[moonrise]

The Meigs County Sheriff's Department is located at 410 River Road, Decatur TN, according to their website. Contact Us | Meigs County Sheriff Department A Google search shows that the Meigs County Jail is at the same address.

I Googled that address, which is where the pin is. The purple indicates the Hwy 60 bridge, and the red indicates Blythe Ferry Road. Maybe I'm overthinking it or maybe I'm missing something (definitely won't be the first time! ha ha), but being on Blythe Ferry Road doesn't make sense to me.

 

[vls12345]

Could he have been using GPS which gave incorrect directions? (It wouldn't be the first time a driver ended up in trouble from GPS directions.) MOO.