Off-duty Dallas firefighter missing while kayaking at North Texas lake, officials say
The search is underway for a Dallas Fire-Rescue firefighter who went missing while kayaking on a North Texas lake, the Collin County Sheriff's Office announced.
According to the sheriff's office, in the morning of Saturday, June 21, deputies were called to Bratonia Park on Lake Lavon after a report concerning an overturned kayak.
A witness told authorities that they saw a kayaker with a dog in the water, and then later saw only the dog paddling near the overturned kayak. The dog was rescued from the water and is safe, officials said.
The sheriff's office deployed patrol units, drone operators, and its dive team to begin the search for the missing person, later identified as Dallas Fire Rescue member Juan Omar Chaidez. Chaidez has been with the department for over six years, a spokesman for DFR said, and is a firefighter paramedic.
The sheriff's office said the firefighter was off duty at the time he went missing.
Wylie Fire Rescue's marine unit also responded to the scene with additional resources, including boats.
The search was suspended on Saturday and resumed at about 8:30 a.m. Sunday. The sheriff's office said in a news release that it has been challenging "due to winds and submerged trees."
"The Collin County Sheriff's Office extends its gratitude to all assisting agencies," the sheriff's office said in a news release.
This is a developing story. We'll have updates as more information becomes available.
