Dive Rescue Team recovers body of one-year-old girl

Published 2:15 pm Sunday, July 24, 2016

Members of the Dive Rescue team were called on July 23, to Ragland by the St. Clair County Sheriff’s Office to lead the search for a vehicle that drove into the Coosa River, according to Pell City Police Chief Greg Turley.

The single-vehicle crash occurred at 9:57 p.m. and claimed the life of a one-year-old child. Tara Beth Ray, 35, of Sylacauga was driving a 1998 Toyota Camry that left the roadway and became submerged in the Coosa River. Ray and another adult passenger were able to escape the vehicle. The child remained trapped inside. There were no other injuries. The crash occurred on Woods Bend Road, three miles south of Ragland. 

The team worked for five hours to locate the vehicle, make a recovery, flip the vehicle over underwater safely, and assist the wrecker service in properly removing the vehicle from the lake.

Turley stated that the men could not perform such dangerous missions without the support of their respective jurisdictions and elected official’s that consistently support this endeavor that we inherit in our waterborne environment. Team members are from the Pell City Police Department, Pell City Fire Department, Leeds Fire Department and the City of Talladega.

Nothing further is available as Alabama State Troopers continue to investigate.

Members were also assisted by other area agencies such as fire/rescue departments, the coroners office, T&G towing and other law-enforcement agencies.