On Jan. 1, the body of a man who was involved in a car accident was recovered from Lake Hartwell.
Carl Jay Benner, 55, was reported missing on Dec. 28 after his vehicle was involved in a crash on I-85 around 4 a.m., according to WYFF.
Four days later, at around 2:40 p.m. on New Year’s Day, a paddleboarder discovered a body near the Anderson Northbound Rest Area. The body was later identified as Benner, who is from Greenville, South Carolina.
The Anderson County Sheriff’s Office determined that Benner may have attempted to walk through the woods when he wandered into the lake, which resulted in a freshwater drowning.
This occurred less than a month after a Clemson alumnus was found in Lake Hartwell.
The investigation remains ongoing.
This is a developing story. The Tiger will update this article with information as it becomes available.
