GALVESTON COUNTY, Texas – The Coast Guard-led search for a missing Texas police chief has ended with the recovery Sunday of his body, Fox News reported.
Kemah Police Chief Chris Reed, a paratrooper when he served in the Army, was reported missing after being knocked off his fishing boat Friday into Galveston Bay by the wake of a passing large vessel.
At 7:54 a.m. Sunday a body matching the description of the chief was recovered from the water by a Galveston County Marine Unit boat crew near mile marker 32 on the west end of the Houston Ship Channel, the City of Kemah said.
“Our hearts go out to the family and friends of Chief Reed, as well the Kemah and law enforcement communities,” said Coast Guard Lt. Cmdr. Caren Damon.
Tragic loss of Kemah Police Chief Chris Reed. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family and the Kemah Police family. pic.twitter.com/GmK9zhqSDs
— Chief JJ Craig (@chiefjjcraig) June 9, 2019
Coast Guard search crews covered more than 650 square miles during the approximately 40-hour search.
At the time of the tragic accident, Reed, 50, was out on his boat with his wife.
Local media reported that he wasn’t wearing a life jacket.
In addition to being police chief and ex-paratrooper, Reed was described as a wrestling coach, city manager, police chief, school board trustee and good friend.
“It was about neighbors – how’s so and so doing and asking about other people that he knew,” said Dee Scott, a friend.