Search Ends With Discovery of a Van in a Swimming Pool

TRENTON, GA (WDEF-TV) – The Dade county sheriff has confirmed that a body pulled from a sunken van is indeed that of a man they’ve been looking for.
More than a hundred Dade county residents joined a massive search Saturday night, looking for a 73 year old man who mysteriously disappeared as he went to pick up a relative on Lookout Mountain.
Sheriff Ray Cross says 73 year old Freddie Wooten was the man whose body was recovered from a swimming pool in Chatooga county .

SHERIFF RAY CROSS, DADE COUNTY "Late Sunday afternoon Mr. Wooten’s van was found in the 100 block of Brow Road in Chatooga county ..Submerged in a swimming pool. The GBI was contacted to assist in the investigation. Mr. Wooten’s body was recovered from the van and taken to the crime lab for further investigation. No foul play is expected."

Freddie Wooten was actually trying to go north toward Fairyland on Lookout mountain…but for some reason, he traveled south about 20 miles where his van eventually left the roadway near Mentone.

SHERIFF RAY CROSS "It looks like Mr. Wooten had an injury to his leg previously…and there may have been some infection that possibly could have set up …and he was a little disoriented from what some of the witnesses say. "

Walker and Chatooga county officers were joined by others from Lookout mountain, the civil air patrol, and from fire departments in a 4 county area as the search continued through much of the weekend.

SHERIFF RAY CROSS "Mr. Wooten was a very respected man in the community…everybody loved him..and the search team that turned out to look for him ….says a a lot about his character."

Funeral arrangements for Freddie Wooten have not been completed.