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Benson Officer Found Dead In Submerged Car
POSTED: 6:33 am EST November 16, 2004
UPDATED: 7:54 am EST November 16, 2004
HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. -- The death of a Benson police officer is under investigation after his body and car were found in a Harnett County creek Monday afternoon.
Ronnie McLamb was a sergeant with the Benson Police Department.
When he failed to show up for work Monday morning, his family and friends knew something was wrong.
Investigators do not know how long the car was submerged in the creek, but they said it had been there long enough to eliminate any hope of a rescue.
"The individual who was taken from the car was last seen in the Dunn area Saturday night at 11:30 and he hasn't been seen since," Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins said.
Authorities said McLamb was traveling northbound on Highway 301. Somehow, just before he reached the town of Benson, the car ended up in the creek near Hodge's Chapel Road, just inside the Harnett/Johnston County line.
Investigators said McLamb's family members grew so concerned, they drove up and down Highway 301 searching for his car. McLamb's wife is the one who spotted a small portion of the car just above the water's surface.
Divers extracted McLamb's body. It took a crane another two hours to lift the car from the creek.
"We're treating it as a death investigation. It appears this was an accident, but we are going to do everything we can to conclude that," Rollins said.
If the Harnett County Sheriff's Office concludes McLamb's death was nothing but a traffic accident, then the Highway Patrol will continue the investigation.
There will be an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
McLamb was one of 11 officers on the Benson police force.
Benson Officer Found Dead In Submerged Car
POSTED: 6:33 am EST November 16, 2004
UPDATED: 7:54 am EST November 16, 2004
HARNETT COUNTY, N.C. -- The death of a Benson police officer is under investigation after his body and car were found in a Harnett County creek Monday afternoon.
Ronnie McLamb was a sergeant with the Benson Police Department.
When he failed to show up for work Monday morning, his family and friends knew something was wrong.
Investigators do not know how long the car was submerged in the creek, but they said it had been there long enough to eliminate any hope of a rescue.
"The individual who was taken from the car was last seen in the Dunn area Saturday night at 11:30 and he hasn't been seen since," Harnett County Sheriff Larry Rollins said.
Authorities said McLamb was traveling northbound on Highway 301. Somehow, just before he reached the town of Benson, the car ended up in the creek near Hodge's Chapel Road, just inside the Harnett/Johnston County line.
Investigators said McLamb's family members grew so concerned, they drove up and down Highway 301 searching for his car. McLamb's wife is the one who spotted a small portion of the car just above the water's surface.
Divers extracted McLamb's body. It took a crane another two hours to lift the car from the creek.
"We're treating it as a death investigation. It appears this was an accident, but we are going to do everything we can to conclude that," Rollins said.
If the Harnett County Sheriff's Office concludes McLamb's death was nothing but a traffic accident, then the Highway Patrol will continue the investigation.
There will be an autopsy to determine the exact cause of death.
McLamb was one of 11 officers on the Benson police force.
