Officials with the Lauderdale County Sheriff's Department said Tuesday a man who drowned late Sunday night at Okatibbee Lake has been identified as Jackie Robinson, 41, of Meridian.
Robinson died when his truck accidentally rolled into the water at the Gin Creek boat ramp. A female who was with him at the time was able to swim to shore.
Shortly before 11 p.m. Sunday, a motorist traveling on Center Hill Martin Road was flagged down by the female. Calhoun said the woman was soaking wet and told the motorist a man was trapped inside a truck under water at the boat landing. Volunteer fire and rescue teams from Collinsville, Bailey and Martin were called to the scene and several volunteer firefighters attempted to locate the truck and the victim.
Divers with the Lauderdale County Emergency Management Agency were then called in to take up the search. At about 1 a.m. Monday the body was located by divers.
The body was sent to Jackson where a preliminary report from the autopsy stated Robinson died as a result of fresh water drowning.
Robinson's truck was also located and pulled from the lake.
Calhoun said investigators with the Mississippi Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Parks have taken over the case.
Robinson was a native of Forest.
Local News
Okatibbee drowning victim identified
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Local law enforcement officials honored
State Rep. Greg Snowden said he remembered as a child looking up to those "men in blue."
He said police officers in uniform were larger than life, riding in their patrol cars and carrying guns to protect and serve the population. Today, he said he is still in great admiration of the men and women who put their lives on the line every day so that citizens can feel safe. -
MPD probes vehicle crash
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Mike Vick, public information officer with the Meridian Police Department, said the two men approached a woman about 8 p.m. Tuesday at the ATM of Regions Bank on North Hills Street. Vick said one of the suspects was armed with a handgun and after taking an undetermined amount of cash and the victim's car keys, the two suspects fled on foot. -
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Workers with Plantation Pipeline will be performing maintenance work on their 30-foot gasoline pipeline in the Meridian area to accommodate the widening of Highway 493. The location of the work activity will be at Highway 493 North and Oak Hill Baptist Church, just inside the city limits. -
Team Spirit
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High Honor
The flowers and balloons Crestwood Elementary School Principal Kimberly Kendrick received at school Monday were not an early Valentines' Day gift.
Kendrick has been named Meridian Public School District's 2012 Administrator of the Year – an announcement that both surprised and wowed the 17-year veteran educator when made by MPSD Superintendent Dr. Alvin Taylor. -
Master Dance Class
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Digital system promises better communication
Hopefully in the near future you won't hear someone in the emergency services ask over the radio, "Can you hear me now?"
A digital communications system, one which is being pushed by the Federal Communication Commission (FCC), is a few months away and, in some cases, is already in the testing phase in Lauderdale County. - More Local News Headlines
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