Blackwater River death: Wanted Florida man found dead in river
MILTON, Fla. - A search for a wanted suspect ended Wednesday morning when dive teams recovered the body of 41-year-old Jeffery Royce Day Jr. from the Blackwater River in Santa Rosa County.
Santa Rosa County Police Search
What we know:
Deputies with the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office said they went to the 6800 block of Pat Brown Road on Tuesday evening to serve several felony warrants on 41-year-old Jeffery Royce Day Jr.
According to authorities, Day ran on foot from deputies and swam into the Blackwater River, where law enforcement lost sight of him.
Search teams from the sheriff's office, K-9 Unit, Skyline Fire Rescue, and the Milton Fire Department scoured the area Tuesday night but said they could not find him.
Marine units from Santa Rosa County and the Escambia County Sheriff's Office Marine Dive Unit resumed the search Wednesday morning. Divers said they found Day's body in the river at approximately 11:30 a.m.
Blackwater River Investigation Details
What we don't know:
Officials have not stated Day's exact cause of death or how long he remained in the water.
It remains unclear whether foul play is suspected, though the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office Major Crimes Unit has taken over the investigation.
Felony Arrest Warrants Issued
The backstory:
Deputies were trying to serve Day with felony arrest warrants stemming from multiple charges.
The court records and warrants listed charges including violation of probation for willful fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement, unarmed burglary of an unoccupied dwelling, and grand theft of property valued between $750 and $5,000.
Major Crimes Unit Probe
What's next:
Investigators with the Major Crimes Unit are continuing to gather details surrounding the incident along the river.
The Source: The information in this story was gathered from the Santa Rosa County Sheriff's Office, which detailed the warrant attempt and recovery operation, as well as records regarding the felony warrants.