Body found in SC lake is man who drowned, coroner says
A man’s death is being investigated after his body was found in a South Carolina lake Saturday, the Oconee County Coroner’s Office said.
Wayne Michael Reynolds was found in Lake Hartwell, Coroner Karl Addis said in a news release.
The 47 year-old Westminster man, formerly of New York, died at the Fair Play Recreation Area, Addis said. That’s near an overpass of Interstate 85, close to the South Carolina-Georgia state line.
An autopsy performed Monday confirmed Reynolds’ cause of death was drowning, and it was deemed accidental, according to Addis.
At about 6:30 p.m., Oconee 911 Communications received a call about a drowning, according to the release.
It was about 8:15 p.m. when divers found Reynolds’ body in a section of the lake where the water was 7 feet deep, Addis said.
Reynolds’ family said he was wading in the lake when he disappeared, and he did not appear to be in any distress, according to the release.
He reportedly could swim, Addis said.
Lake Hartwell covers about 56,000 acres of water with a shoreline of 962 miles. The deepest part of the lake is about 185 feet under water.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.
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This story was originally published July 18, 2021 at 9:57 AM.
