Livingston Man Drowns in East Polk County, ALABAMA COUSHATTA RESERVATION, June 21, 2010 - On June 21, 2010, at 12:11am the Polk County Sheriff's Office received a 911 call to Lake Tombigbee at the Alabama Coushatta Indian Reservation in reference to a missing swimmer. When Deputies arrived they determined that at approximately 8:30 pm Calvin Wenell Johnson, 43, of Livingston, was swimming in the recreation area of the lake when he was observed swimming to the ventilated slide and slide down. His sister stated that she told Johnson that she was leaving and he advised her that he would swim to the west side of the lake and meet her there. She took a shower at the camp facilities. When she returned to the recreation area, she was unable to locate her brother. Family members searched all around the lake before calling Alabama Coushatta Tribal Security. Tribal Security did a quick search of the area and then notified the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
The Alabama Coushatta Volunteer Fire Department responded. After consulting with marine search teams with the Texas Game Wardens office and the Livingston Volunteer Fire Department, it was decided to wait until daylight to conduct a search of the lake.
At approximately 7:30 am, while waiting for the search teams to arrive the body was discovered next to the ventilated slide. Tribal security, volunteer firemen, and Sheriff's Office personnel used a small boat to retrieve the victim from the lake. The victim was positively identified by the family and Tribal Security.
Justice of the Peace Precinct 3 Larry Whitworth was called to the scene and conducted the inquest in which and autopsy was ordered to be performed by the Jefferson County Morgue. The body was transported to Cochran Funeral Home.
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