Two N.C. Sheriff Employees Killed by Hurricane Flood Waters

Macon County, NC (WorkersCompensation.com) – Two sheriff’s employees are dead after flood waters from Hurricane Helene ravaged western North Carolina.

According to the North Carolina Sheriff’s Association, the two sheriff’s employees worked with the Macon County and Madison County Sheriff’s Offices. More than 30 people have died in North Carolina as a result of flash floods that hit the state after Hurricane Helene hit the Appalachians.

Helene initially hit the U.S. on Thursday, Sept. 27. The storm struck the “Big Bend” portion of Florida, and headed up through Georgia and Tennessee into Kentucky. The storm dumped torrential rains on Tennessee and North Carolina, with some places getting nearly 30 inches of rain. As of Sunday night, more than 1,000 people were reported missing in NC and Tenn., but officials expect that number to drop as cell phone service is restored.

In Asheville, NC., all roads leading into the area were closed on Saturday afternoon when flood waters washed away parts of I-40, and I-26. Officials said more than 280 roads in the state were closed as rain water either washed away or buckled roads, or destroyed bridges. The French Broad River crested at 24.67 feet Friday, and was still well above normal at 21.68 feet on Sunday. Officials said large parts of Asheville, including businesses in the River Arts District, have been wiped out. The small town of Chimney Rock, NC has been virtually washed away, officials said.

In Macon County, NC, the Sheriff’s Office was called to Cullasaja River on Fulton Road around 11:30 a.m. on Friday. Witnesses said they had seen a person inside a truck that was stalled in the water. At some point, the truck went underwater, witnesses said.

Multiple agencies began a search for the truck, officials said, including on-foot and drone searches, as well as swift water rescue teams. Called off in the evening, the search was resumed on Saturday morning. Rescue workers found and recovered a body from the river.

The victim was identified as a courthouse security officer, Jim Lau. Officials with the sheriff’s office said that Lau stepped out on Friday to have lunch and never returned. The North Carolina Highway Patrol is investigating the incident.

"Jim was very liked and respected within our department. He was known to be a hard worker, dependable, and he jumped in wherever help was needed. His absence will truly be felt in our agency," the sheriff's office said in a statement.

The sheriff’ association said the other death was a sheriff’s office employee in Madison county.

"In the wake of this devastating storm… a deputy from the Madison County Sheriff’s Office was tragically killed in raging flood waters," the sheriff's association said.

The Madison County Sheriff’s Office had not released any details about its deputy’s death as of Sunday.

More than 90 people were dead across the southeast, officials said, and the death toll was expected to rise as communication is restored, power is restored, and rescue crews are able to reach people trapped in remote areas of North Carolina and Tennessee.

Search and rescue crews, communications crews, and power crews are headed to the area to help the area recover. As of Sunday night, more than 2 million people across the southeast were still without power. Supplies were being airlifted into the region. Buncombe County Manager Avril Pinder said she was working to get food and water into Asheville.

“We hear you. We need food and we need water,” Pinder said on a Sunday call with reporters. “My staff has been making every request possible to the state for support and we’ve been working with every single organization that has reached out. What I promise you is that we are very close.”

But officials said the loss of homes, property and life would continue to increase. North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper said the death toll would rise as rescuers and other first responders reached more isolated areas. He asked residents in the western part of the state to stay off the roads – both for their safety and to keep roads clear for emergency vehicles. More than 50 search teams are in the area looking for people, Cooper said.

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