CENTRAL — What started as a search and rescue for a pair of missing kayakers on Tuesday ended with one man in jail.
On Tuesday morning, Pickens County Emergency Management stated a search for two kayakers was underway after they went missing at Cateechee Beach Park in Central.
According to emergency management, the two kayakers were reported missing around 8:30 p.m. Monday night.
Officials said 13-year-old Parker Ramey and 40-year-old Daniel Timothy Falu were both reported by family to be inexperienced kayakers.
Family members said when the family returned to the beach, Parker got into a kayak but was supposed to stay on the river’s bank.
When the kayak went out further on the water, Falu went after her.
Emergency management said multiple teams responded to aid in the search including swift water rescue teams and an Anderson County helicopter equipped with thermal vision.
The search spanned the length of 12 Mile Creek all the way to Lake Hartwell, before both the girl and man were found safe and returned to the base camp at Cateechee Beach Park.
Falu was then taken into custody for a probation violation out of Oconee County.
He is currently being held in the Pickens County Detention Center.
