Centreville Police Chief Rodney Smith held a 10:00 a.m. press conference this morning, April 8, 2024, to discuss details of a death that occurred early Saturday morning, April 6.
Smith said that police received a call at approximately 08:30 p.m. on Friday night of an intoxicated man going from house to house in the Mill Street area knocking on doors. When a police cruiser entered the neighborhood a man seen in the street ran as soon as the police car approached. Police lost sight of the man.
Around midnight a police vehicle cruising the same area near Mill & Maple Streets, came within view of the same individual, who immediately ran from the area again. He ran in the direction of the Cahaba River according to Chief Smith.
While police units from Centreville, Brent, and the Bibb County Sheriff Department were looking for the suspect, near the Cahaba River Bridge, they spotted an individual in the river, underneath the bridge, clinging to a bridge support. As law enforcement made their way down a steep embankment they saw the individual go underwater.
A local dive team recovered the body of a 27 year old B/M in about 10 ft of river depth. The victim was removed from the river and resuscitation was attempted. He was transported to Bibb Medical Center where he was pronounced deceased at 1:22 a.m. on Saturday morning. Family members were located and notified about 03:00 a.m.
Chief Smith said that the officers never were able to get close to the individual or to determine why he chose to run away. That matter is still under investigation.
Following the death pronouncement the body was turned over to the Bibb County Coroner and has now been transported to the State Medical Examiner’s office for autopsy. The victim’s identify has been withheld at the request of the family.
