‘Dedicated’ soldier jumps in river to get crab trap and goes under, Army officials say
A soldier in Georgia is dead after going after a loose crab trap while fishing on a river, authorities and Army officials told news outlets.
Spc. Carlito Lindsey, 26, a member of the 3rd Infantry Division at Fort Stewart, drowned Nov. 7 in the Tivoli River in Richmond Hill, WJCL reported, citing the U.S. Army.
Authorities said Lindsey and four others were crab fishing on a dock around 1 a.m. when one of the traps got away from them, WTOC reported. He jumped in after it and never resurfaced.
Officials said Lindsey did not know how to swim, according to the station. Divers recovered his body from the water.
McClatchy News reached out to Fort Stewart for more information Nov. 11 and is awaiting a response.
Lindsey was remembered as a “dedicated and professional soldier” who left a lasting impact on his unit.
“His untimely death is a devastating loss and we will honor his memory by continuing to live up to the high standards he set for us,” Col. James Armstrong, commander of the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, told WSB-TV in a statement.
“Our hearts go out to his family and friends during this time of grief and we are committed to supporting them in any way we can,” Armstrong said.
Before serving 13 months at Fort Stewart, Lindsey, a Mississippi native, served in the National Guard for eight years, Army officials told WTOC.
Lindsey’s military honors include an Army Achievement Medal and National Defense Service Medal, WAGA reported, citing Army officials.
Authorities said the drowning remains under investigation.
Richmond Hill is about a 20-mile drive southwest from Savannah.