Diveland Park accident?

[ganu76]

Anyone know anything about this? Today I pulled up just to look around but was turned back at the gate. Was told that there had been an accident.

Diveland is in Glencoe, Alabama.

 

[DandyDon]

Anniston attorney believed to have drowned in Glencoe | GadsdenTimes.com

An Anniston attorney is believed to have drowned Sunday while diving in Glencoe, according to Deputy Coroner Michael Head.

Randy Brooks, 60, of Anniston, arrived about 11 a.m. Sunday at Dive Land in Glencoe on Websters Chapel Road, which is the old Blue Hole, according to Head. He was there to practice diving skills for a trip to Mexico next weekend.
He was an attorney with Brooks Harmon & Johnston LLC in Anniston.
John Valdez Jr., an owner of Dive Land, told Head that Brooks got into 10 feet of water about 1 p.m. and was alone in the water.
About 2 p.m., Valdez was getting ready to leave and went to check on Brooks.
Head said Valdez found Brooks sitting on a rock, submerged in six feet of water. He was wearing a weight belt, his regulator was out of his mouth and his diving mask was still on.
Brooks had been a certified advanced diver for about 25 years.
Head said Brooks’ body would be sent Monday morning for an autopsy in Huntsville. The air tanks and regulator he was using also will be sent off to be tested for malfunctions.

 

[g1138]

Anyone know anything about this? Today I pulled up just to look around but was turned back at the gate. Was told that there had been an accident.

Diveland is in Glencoe, Alabama.

See the following post in the Accident and Incident's thread:
http://www.scubaboard.com/forums/ac...ama-attorney-dies-practicing-mexico-trip.html

 

[merxlin]

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[ganu76]

Thanks for the info, guys. I was with my 10 y/o daughter when we were turned around at the gate, and what she saw with the vehicles that DID pass through and what she heard today hopefully will reinforce in her what the rest of us already know: We can all get snatched back into the real world, real quick. T&P for the family.

 

[cruiser]

Sounds like he hadn't been diving in awhile. This is sad.

 

[ganu76]

News today said that Mr. Brooks had over 2k left in his tank. They echoed again today that the incident happened in shallow water. Possible causes given were drowning and heart attack. Nothing official yet, but I think we can all agree that this looks as if it's heading to a possible heart attack.

Only keeping up with it so much because it happened about 4 miles from my home and my daughter and I kinda drove up on it when I was trying to show her the quarry.

 

[bigDave]

Here's a couple more links. I'm sorry this had to happen to Mr. Brooks' family, and sorry that the Valdez family has to deal with this as well.

obit: Randy Brooks Obituary: View Randy Brooks's Obituary by The Anniston Star

more details: Authorities say lawyer drowned at diving facility | GadsdenTimes.com

Almost sounds like he passed peacefully.

Safe diving,

David

 

[CindyMac]

I'm so sorry to hear about this. I grew up in the general area(Gadsden-Anniston) and pass by DiveLand (I didn't know they renamed it - knew it as Blue Hole - a swimming area) on my way home to visit my family.

Prayers for the families, both Brooks and Valdez.

 

[victorzamora]

Any news on heart attack/bad air/malfunction? If it was that shallow, wouldn't a swim upwards suffice? How much lead was he wearing? I'm just thinking that if they found him "seated" he may have had a heart-attack and sat down to recover AFTER trying to get to the surface. T&P.