Accident Database

Report ID#63946

2024-12-11
accident date
Joseph Schaber
victim
43
victim age
Mossy Creek
river
New Bridge Road to Chattahoochee River
section
n/a
location
n/a
gage
High
water level
III+
river difficulty
Health Problem
cause code(s)
Heart Attack / Heart Failure
injury type(s)
Solo Paddling
factors
Private
trip type
Whitewater Kayak
boat type
status?
status

Description

“Joe had a sudden heart failure from a previously unknown condition on Mossy Creek, Chattahoochee tributary North of Gainesville, GA on Wednesday.” Man found dead in White County By Dean Dyer, nowhabweaham.com December 13, 2024 Authorities continue their investigation into the death of a Decatur man on Wednesday night in the southern part of White CountWhite County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Capt. Clay Hammond said in a news release that, at 10:22 PM on Dec. 11, the White County Sheriff’s Office responded to 9470 Callus Mill Road in reference to a death. Hammond said deputies met with some people in the area who had been looking for and found an overdue individual. He identified the man as 43-year-old Joseph Schaber. White County Corner Ricky Barrett advised that Schaber’s wife told authorities that he left Wednesday morning to go kayaking. When she had not heard from him that evening, she and three friends who regularly kayaked with him went to search for hiearchers found Schaber’s body partially in Mossy Creek. His kayak was found downstream from where his body was found. Schaber was pronounced dead at the scene by White County Deputy Corner Patrick Ward. His body has been sent to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation Crime Lab for an autopsy. Captain Hammond says the case is still open. However, no foul play is suspected.