Body recovered from Alabama River

Published 10:44 am Monday, June 1, 2009

Rescue divers recovered the body of a 39-year-old Selma man about 6 a.m. today, Monday, from the Alabama River. The body is that of Micah Perry, who was reported missing by his brother on Sunday. The family had not seen or heard from Perry since Saturday evening.

On Sunday, a family member who declined to identify herself said Perry drove trucks in Mississippi during the week, then came home to Selma on weekends to preach at his church.

The Selma Dallas County Rescue, Sumter County Fire Rescue, Selma Fire Department and Selma Police Department officers worked the river from the area near Church Street and Water Avenue down to Riverview Park on Sunday. Perry was driving a red Ford F-150 when he apparently went through the yellow and red barricade fencing at a sharp curve near the Carneal Building at the end of Water Avenue and Church Street. Selma Dallas County Fire Rescue Squad Assistant Chief Willie Calhoun said the squads found a piece of a vehicle Sunday and believe it belongs to the truck.

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Divers continued the search for the vehicle on Monday.

The Selma Dallas County Rescue Fire Squad was notified of the wreck Saturday at 9 p.m. Since then they have been dragging the bottom of the Alabama River in that section. If they hit something, then divers are sent down.

The Sumter County Rescue Squad joined the search as well and brought in two extra divers.

The visibility of the Alabama River can be a hindrance to the divers — Selma Police Sgt. Tory Neely, Selma firefighter Will Dailey and Sumter County Rescue Squad Parke Edwards. Calhoun said that divers mainly had to feel because they couldn’t see their hand in front of their face.

When the officers went out for one of the last searches Sunday afternoon they felt they were locked in on the location of the vehicle.

“We are going back to the spot were the grill was found,” Calhoun said. “We had to come back to the marina so we could fill the divers air tanks, but we think that is the location of the truck.”

Authorities will release more information at a further time.