Bridgeport, AL – A 26 year old man is dead after jumping into the Tennessee River to save his girlfriend.
The drowning happened late Tuesday night in Jackson County, Alabama.
According to Chief Deputy Rocky Harnen, a woman drove into the Tennessee River near the Bridgeport Ferry around 11 pm CST. Shortly thereafter, the woman’s boyfriend, Christopher Matthew Heaton, 26, from Jasper, arrived in a separate vehicle, saw his girlfriend’s car in the river and jumped in to save her.
According to witnesses who were fishing in the area, the woman made it to shore. However Chief Deputy Harnen said he believes Heaton must not have seen her swim to safety, and drowned as he was searching for her.
Heaton’s body was found a short time later, he was pronounced dead from apparent drowning.
Information from News Channel 9 WTVC
