The body of a man found in the Little Pigeon River on Tuesday has been identified. Sevier County Sheriff Ron Seals states that the man was identified as David A. Cook, 56, of Salisbury, NC. The autopsy was completed at the U. T. Forensics Center and no indication of foul play was found. The investigation by the sheriff’s office has revealed that the victim jumped from the bridge hitting the rocks in the shallow waters of the stream. The Victims Dodge van was also found nearby. Authorities in Salisbury N.C. also assisted the sheriffs dept. in the investigation.

     A rafter on the Little Pigeon River got a horrific surprise Tuesday when he found a dead body floating in the water under the Grassy branch Bridge near Pittman Center.

    Detectives were called to the scene at approximately 4:30 where they found a white male who was pronounced dead at the scene. A vehicle was found near the scene and is believed to have belonged to the deceased. The vehicle was impounded. The body was removed from the water by members of the Sevier County Rescue Squad and transported to LeConte Medical Center where an autopsy will be performed by the Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death.

     According to Sevier County Sheriff Ron Seals, no signs of foul play were found at the scene but the case is still under investigation. The identity of the W/M is still under investigation at this time. The sheriff’s office was assisted by the Pittman Center Police Department.

Tourism will not be affected by the collapse of a 40-foot wall at the Gatlinburg Wastewater plant that resulted in the deaths of two workers and dumped more than two million gallons of wastewater into the Little Pigeon River.

The wall collapsed on April 5 killing Dan Storey, 44, and John Eslinger, 53. The cause of the collapse is under investigation.

According to Dave Perella, Executive Director of Gatlinburg’s Department of Tourism, the collapse will have no affect on tourism based on water samples taken at the site.

“Water samples have been taken above the site and below the site of the collapse,” Perella said. “Based on these water samples, the water is now safe for recreational use.”

Perella said most white water rafting is done in Hartford and no white water rafting companies operate on the western prong of the Little Pigeon.

The sewage that made its way into the river was waste water and there was no raw sewage. Immediately after the wall collapsed, officials began monitoring the water conditions to ascertain affects on the environment.

Sevierville Police Department (SPD) officers and K9 Axel apprehended a Sevier County man yesterday, March 15, 2011 at about 12:16PM. According to SPD Officer Stephanie Quigley, a citizen called SPD dispatch and reported that 22-year old Colin P. Bartlett (booking photo attached) of Sevier County was in the area of 108 Winfield Dunn Parkway (Highway 66). Mr. Bartlett had three outstanding warrants from Sevier County (two for aggravated burglary, one for violation of probation).

As officers approached Mr. Bartlett, he fled behind a business and into the Little Pigeon River. SPD K9 Officer David Finchum released K9 Axel, who apprehended Mr. Bartlett. There were no injuries.

In addition to the three outstanding warrants, Mr. Bartlett was charged with resisting stop, frisk and halt, and criminal impersonation; he was transported to the Sevier County Jail and booked. 

All persons are considered innocent until found guilty in a court of law.

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