Grace McAlister
Reporter1@riverbendnews.org
The Suwannee County Sheriff’s Office (SCSO) responded to a call of a missing person, possible drowning in Peacock Lake around 8 p.m. on Wednesday, March 23. SCSO deputies searched the area the night of the incident and all-day Thursday, March 24. However, the man had yet to be found.
The victim, Paul Gibson, was in a canoe with his sister and a 13-year-old relative, according to the SCSO. The group was paddling across the lake and, on their way back, the canoe became entangled in vegetation. Gibson then exited the canoe to untangle it. While doing this, the other occupants of the canoe stated Gibson trekked deeper into the water, seemingly slipping down and eventually disappearing into the lake. The occupants of the canoe told SCSO deputies they did not see Gibson resurface and in a panic, they threw a lifejacket overboard towards the area where Gibson was last seen. His sister told deputies he couldn’t swim and when the wind blew the canoe out of his reach, he went under the water. Once the occupants made it back to the shoreline, they called 911.
Deputies immediately began searching the lake, the SCSO utilized UAVs with searchlights and thermal imaging in search and rescue efforts. During this time, strong winds, heavy rain and nightfall halted search efforts in the late evening hours on Wednesday. The following day, the SCSO continued the search with the assistance of Florida Wildlife Commission (FWC).
From Friday, March 25, to Monday, March 28, the SCSO, FWC, the Columbia County Sheriff’s Office’s (CCSO) Dive Team and the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office (JSO) Dive Team searched the lake in an effort to recover Gibson. The various agencies, along with SCSO utilized various searching techniques in efforts to locate Gibson.
On Monday, March 28, in the evening hours Law Enforcement Officers and Suwannee County Fire Rescue Members recovered the body of, Paul Gibson (W/M 35 years old) in Peacock Lake. At this time, Gibson's family has been notified and the initial assessment by Law Enforcement Investigators is that no foul play is suspected in this incident.
Sheriff Sam St. John would like to thank members of the Jacksonville Sheriff's Office Dive Team, The Florida Wildlife Commission Officers and Dive Team Members, The Columbia County Sheriff's Office Dive Team Members, Suwannee County Fire Rescue, and both the sworn and civilian members of the Suwannee County Sheriff's Office for their diligent efforts in this recovery. Members of each respected agency worked tirelessly throughout the last six days to resolve this incident.