Missing Dallas firefighter’s body found at Lake Lavon after kayaking accident
Missing Dallas firefighter's body found in Lake Lavon
The body of a missing firefighter was found on Monday morning at Lake Lavon. Juan Omar Chaidez's kayak overturned in the water near Bratonia Park on Saturday morning.
PRINCETON, Texas - The body of a missing Dallas firefighter was found on Monday morning at Lake Lavon.
Dallas Firefighter Missing
Juan Chaidez (Dallas Fire-Rescue)
What's new:
The Collin County Sheriff’s Office confirmed that the body of 37-year-old Juan Omar Chaidez was recovered from the water near Bratonia Park around 7 a.m.
The backstory:
Chaidez was reported missing on Saturday after his kayak overturned on Lake Lavon.
Witnesses reported seeing him and a dog in the water, and later only the dog near the vessel.
The dog was rescued from the water and is in good condition.
Sheriff's officials deployed patrol units, drone operators, and a dive team to search for Chaidez. Their search was hindered by high winds and submerged trees.
Dallas Fire-Rescue said Chaidez had been with the department for over six years and worked as a firefighter paramedic.
Dallas firefighter missing after kayak overturns on Lavon Lake
A multi-agency search is underway for a Dallas firefighter who went missing after his kayak overturned on Lake Lavon on Saturday.
What they're saying:
Chaidez’s co-workers described him as a friendly person who always stopped to ask others how they were doing.
"He had friends everywhere. It sounds cliché to say, but there’s nothing bad to say about him. It’s all good," said Wes Southard, a DFR Station 43 driver who has worked with Chaidez for the past five years. "A lot of times you don't want being a fireman to define you but this is one of those times that yeah he was a great fireman as a person and as a man."
Dallas firefighter speaks on missing coworker: Full
Wes Southard, a driver for Dallas Fire, worked with Juan Omar Chaidez at the department for years. Monday morning, Southard spoke with FOX 4 about his friend, and the heavy sense of loss the department is experiencing after the man was found dead at Lavon Lake.
"The Collin County Sheriff's Office extends its deepest condolences to the family and colleagues of Mr. Chaidez, a firefighter with the Dallas Fire Department," the department said in a statement. "We would also like to thank all of the agencies that assisted in this search, including Wylie Fire Rescue, Lucas Fire Department, Princeton Fire Department, Dallas Fire Department, Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, and AMR. Their continued partnership and professionalism are deeply appreciated."
What's next:
Bratonia Park remains closed because of the investigation.
The Source: The information in this story was provided by the Collin County Sheriff's Office, Dallas Fire-Rescue, and past news coverage.