Court House Security Officer Dies in Flooded River

Macon County -- September 29, 2024: Macon County Sheriff's Office: On September 27 at 11:30 A.M., a 911 call came in

about a truck in the river on Fulton Road, with witnesses saying they saw someone in the truck before it went underwater.

It was soon realized that one of our courthouse security officers, Jim Lau, hadn’t returned to work from lunch and his truck matched the description of the truck that was seen in the river.

A search effort was initiated that afternoon by multiple emergency service agencies; an on-foot search, drone search and multiple swift-water rescue teams were called in.

Ultimately the search was put on hold when the sun began to set. The search began early in the morning on September 28, and Jim’s body was found and recovered from the river shortly after the search began.
NC State Highway Patrol is the investigating agency for this event, and it is an ongoing investigation.

Jim was very liked and respected within our department. He was known to be a hard worker, dependable, and he jumped in wherever help was needed. His absence will truly be felt in our agency.
We ask for prayers for this family and loved ones, and we ask for prayers for our department. Continue to pray for Western North Carolina as a whole; the tragedy that surrounds our mountain communities is unimaginable.