Name of missing Albany city employee released, search continues

ALBANY, Ga. (WALB) - The search and rescue mission for a city employee believed to have fallen in the Flint River has been suspended after day two of the search. Crews will pick up the search for him starting at 8 a.m. on Wednesday.

The search for missing Albany Public Works employee, Darrious Stephens, 36, ended after 9 hours Tuesday. Despite social media rumors to the contrary, the city of Albany and several sources confirmed to WALB that Stephens has not been found.

Stephens was collecting water samples during Monday’s rainstorm. Tuesday’s search expanded 30 miles out towards Baker and Mitchell County. People who say they know Stephens say they are saddened to hear he hasn’t been found yet.

It’s still unclear if he fell into the river, only that he went missing while working near it.

“I pray daily for the young man,” Tammy Jones, an Albany resident, said. “I pray for his family. I’m hoping that there will be some type of recovery to at least give the family peace. Just to hold on, keep the strength, stay prayed up and I just hope and pray they do discover them.”

Crews started searching again around 8 a.m. with the help of the Georgia State Patrol helicopter. That helicopter was sent out to Mitchell County to search and has already made its way back to Albany.

Tuesday’s search expanded 30 miles out towards Baker and Mitchell County but still no answers as to where Stephens could be.

According to the city of Albany sewer division, the samples Stephens was getting were for combined sewer overflows, and the only time to get those samples is during heavy rainfall events like Monday.

“Well, he was collecting a water sample for, so that is primarily the area we’re checking, around where he would have been collecting the sample. It’s extremely sad anytime these situations happen because they have family, they have friends, they have co-workers,” Sgt. Greg Wade with DNR said.

While the heavy downpour isn’t impacting search efforts today, the river levels continue to be an issue. Right now, the Flint River levels sit at 15.5 feet. Officials say that increase is causing the currents to move faster but still boats have been put back out on the water.

Officials say another co-worker was with Stephens at the time he went missing.

The initial search started shortly around 12 p.m. on Monday when he went missing.

On Monday, Georgia Power closed the gates to the dam as the search spanned two and a half miles from Veterans Park Amphitheater to the Marine ditch.

Sgt. Greg Wade with DNR released a statement Monday saying “Today, the weather conditions initially up until about 2:30 with the downpours and everything made it difficult for personnel to get on the water, although we put people on. The water coming out of the dam has made it extremely difficult to be safe on that water. We were able to do some quick searches around the area where the subject might have went into the water and up and down the shore. So, we’re willing to be here as long as it takes to bring closer to the case.”

Stay with WALB for updates on this developing story.

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