HABERSHAM COUNTY, Georgia — A Sunday trip to a well-known waterfall ended in tragedy when a 19-year-old college student was found dead at Panther Creek Falls. The victim has been identified as Reginald Starks, a student at Texas Southern University in Houston.
Emergency crews were called to the scene around 4 p.m. after reports of a possible drowning. Game wardens with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources arrived first, followed by deputies from the Habersham County Sheriff’s Office. Search efforts began immediately in the water near the base of the falls.
Authorities located the young man in an area of water estimated to be about 12 feet deep. He was pulled out and emergency efforts were carried out on-site. Despite those efforts, he was pronounced dead.
Starks was from Jonesboro, Georgia, and was known to be a rising sophomore at Texas Southern University. He was also a member of the university’s Ocean of Soul marching band, a group widely recognized on campus.
Panther Creek Falls sits inside the Chattahoochee National Forest and is known for its scenic trails and swimming spots. It attracts visitors throughout the year, especially during warmer weekends when people gather around the falls to swim and relax.
Investigators have not released a clear explanation of what led to the drowning. It is also not confirmed whether he was alone or with others at the time of the incident.
Officials say the investigation is still active, and more details may come out as they continue to review what happened in the water that day.
The incident has left both the local community and his university circle in shock, as friends and peers begin to process the sudden loss.
