Athens Review, Athens, Texas

Breaking News

Local News

Discussion

June 17, 2008

Officials ID man who drowned

Body was found in CCL late Monday

By Art Lawler

GUN BARREL CITY — Fourteen-year-old Skyler Wheat of Dallas sat alone with his thoughts on the edge of Cedar Creek Lake late Monday afternoon.

On the one hand, he was relieved to have made it back to safety from Bird Island, even though he was choking and gasping for air for several minutes at the edge of the Eastwood Isle subdivision.

On the other, his friend, 20-year-old Gregg Eugene Fields, was missing.

Wheat’s wait lasted for the next few hours as more than 35 water vehicles and an Air 1 helicopter from East Texas Medical Center searched Cedar Creek Lake for Fields.

The mild winds were continuing to blow the water steadily in a northwest direction — the same direction Wheat saw his friend fighting to avoid — when he turned around from his own life-saving swim to look for him.

“I saw him struggling,” Wheat said. “He was pretty far behind me.”

As it turned out, Wheat was the last person to see Fields alive. Rescue workers found his body about 7:45 p.m. Monday.

He was pronounced dead at 9:11 p.m. by Pct. 2 Justice of the Peace Dale Blaylock.

The search was carried out by police and firefighters from Gun Barrel City, Seven Points, Tool and Mabank, in addition to the Henderson County Sheriff’s Department and the Texas Parks and Wildlife.

Henderson County Sheriff’s Sgt. Jim Langford, through the use of Sonar equipment, was able to spot an object searchers suspected was Fields’ body more than 19 feet below the surface.

Texas Game Warden Shawn Smith was finally able to bring the body on board his boat, and later, Blaylock ordered it sent to Dallas Forensics Institute for autopsy.

Earlier in the day, the two friends had boarded a light, blown-up yellow air raft to float the quarter mile distance from the Eastwood Isle subdivision to nearby Bird Island, located south of the bridges on State Highway 334.

Wheat stays at the home of his father, Glen Wheat, in the summer, but lives in Dallas with his mother during the schoolyear, he said. The teen said it was his dad who introduced him to Fields last summer.

The two left the banks riding in the raft about 4 p.m. Monday with temperatures hovering near 100 degrees. The trip to Bird Island was apparently uneventful.

For the return trip, though, the two reasoned the raft was too heavy to push against the currents, so they discarded it and began swimming back.

Wheat said he just kept swimming toward the dock despite the current.

“It was really hard,” he said. “I just barely made it back.”

The deceased’s mother was identified by Blaylock as Loy Sutton. His stepfather, Frank Wagner, lives in Seven Points.

The young man had most recently been living at 205 Seaside residence in Gun Barrel City, according to Blaylock.

Charles Stiff contributed to this story.

Text Only
Local News
  • Commissioners re-appoint three current Fair Park Board members

    The Henderson County Commissioners Court, by a 3 to 2 vote, Tuesday, voted to re-appoint three current members of the Fair Park Board to new terms.
    Chairman Bob Miars and members Ken Hayes and Mark Davis were chosen to serve an additional two years, with their terms to run through Dec. 31, 2013.

    February 7, 2012

  • Walmart workers cooperate with APD

    Walmart employees and the Athens Police Department spoiled a scheme to steal televisions from the store, Monday afternoon, leading to three arrests.

    February 7, 2012

  • Man named in plane theft

    Had it not been presence of a truck that authorities were able to trace to a Nacogdoches man, the search for a plane stolen from Athens Airport might be as difficult as finding a single bird in the sky.
    The 1980 model Cessna reported missing on Jan. 28 was recovered Monday by the Nacogdoches County Sheriff’s Office, which had been assisting the Athens Police Department in the case.

    February 7, 2012

  • Hornet dance.JPG Dancin’ with Henry

    Four-year-old Janiyah Ray gets funky during halftime of the Athens Hornets' varsity boys game against Rusk last Friday at AHS Gym. Henry the Hornet (also known as Will Carter) began a dance routine as halftime began, and Ray couldn't help but run out of the stands and join in — much to the delight of the home crowd.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • 2-7 Bel Air kids.jpg Students help honor veterans

    Congressman Jeb Hensarling is asking students across the 5th Congressional District to help him honor the service and sacrifice of veterans by participating in the annual Valentines for Vets program. Pictured are students at Bel Air Elementary who took part in the project. In the front row are Kaytlen Hurley, Meagan Miranda, Coralyn Happel, Reagan Farley, Emily Rodriguez, Julian Cazares and Camryn Pair. In the second row are Alondra Carillo, Louis Delagarza, Morgan Gould, Alexis Robles, Caroline Moore, Madison Wilson and Renee Campbell. In back are Amy Gould, Caleb Humphries and Ricardo Sanchez.

    February 7, 2012 1 Photo

  • Airplane theft suspect arrested

    Authorities in Nacogdoches County arrested a man Monday in connection with an airplane stolen from the Athens Municipal Airport last month.

    February 6, 2012

  • Accident investigation continues

    PAYNE SPRINGS — Police in this community are investigating an accident on State Highway 198 last Friday, involving a small car which sideswiped a 1996 GMC Z-71 truck, which was pulling a 16-foot utility trailer.

    February 6, 2012

  • Political parties continue waiting game Monday

    Henderson County Republican and Democratic leaders continued to play the waiting game Monday concerning the upcoming primary elections.
    County Elections Administrator Denise Hernandez said that as of Monday afternoon, progress had been made toward getting an agreement on contested redistricting maps.
    “Nothing is set in stone yet,” Hernandez said.

    February 6, 2012

  • APD arrest suspect with multiple recorded arrests

    The Athens Police Department made a felony drug arrest at a traffic stop on Friday night.
    Karen Louise Harris, 48, was charged with possession of a controlled substance (one gram to four grams).

    February 6, 2012

  • Woman stopped, arrested in GBC

    GUN BARREL CITY  — Donna Jean Schultz, 43, of GBC was stopped by a Henderson County Sheriff’s Department deputy last Friday at about 6 p.m. for a minor traffic violation near CJ’s parking lot off State Highway 334 and U.S. Highway 175.
    The minor traffic violation proved to be the least of her problems. 

    February 6, 2012