US man jumps into lake after cops arrive to issue warrant for someone else, drowns

Man drowns after fleeing police. Accidental freshwater drowning ruled as cause of death.

A 38-year-old US man drowned after jumping into a lake in South Carolina as he saw the police who were reportedly looking for someone else last Sunday (July 23). The deputies present at the spot dived into Lake Cunningham to rescue the man but could not locate him.

The cause of death was ruled an accidental freshwater drowning. (pic for representation)

According to the police, the deceased, identified as Chuck Gilbert Shelton, was unrelated to the warrant and ran away for unknown reasons. Later, Greenville County Sheriff's Office dive team was called for locating the man and his body was recovered, read the statement.

As per reports, the cause of death was ruled an accidental freshwater drowning. The individual who the warrant was intended for has not been identified yet.

This was among the very few cases where a person, despite not being the suspect, runs away from the cops and loses life. Contrary to these, incidents where police have arrested the wrong suspect have rather emerged in the past.

In February 20219, Nijeer Parks was falsely accused of shoplifting candy and trying to hit a police officer with a car at a Hampton Inn in Woodbridge, New Jersey. The police had identified him using facial recognition software, even though he was 30 miles away at the time of the incident, reported the New York Times.

Parks had to spend 10 days in jail and pay $5,000 for defending himself. Later that November, the case was dismissed because of a lack of evidence. A year later, Parks sued the police department for “false arrest, false imprisonment and violation of his civil rights.”