Two people drowned Sunday morning in an apparent fishing accident on Dorcheat Bayou south of Shongaloo, according to the Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office.
The victims were identified as Annie Ruth Buggs, 54, of Bernice, and Deandrea Perez Ford, 41, of Homer. Deputies said the pair had been fishing near a boat launch off Bobby Davis Road when the accident occurred.
When deputies arrived, they found one chair still on the bank and another in the water. Authorities believe one person fell in and the other tried to help. Relatives told deputies that neither victim could swim.
Emergency crews were dispatched just before 8:30 AM after a report of a body floating in the bayou. Buggs’ body was recovered first, but deputies did not find keys to the vehicle parked at the scene. The Springhill dive team was then called, and during their search, Ford’s body was located in about 10 feet of water.
The Webster Parish Sheriff’s Office was assisted by the Springhill, Cotton Valley, and Sarepta fire departments. The bodies were sent to Little Rock, Arkansas, for autopsies.