NEWPORT — A stroll at Lockwood Park ended in a fatal accident Saturday when 52-year-old Dwayne Dates of Beebe fell into the park’s lake and could not be saved, authorities reported.
Newport police responded around 7:41 p.m. April 4 to calls of a man in the water. Officers entered the lake immediately but were unable to locate him. Witnesses at the scene said the man had fallen in and never resurfaced.
The Independence County Sheriff’s Office dive team arrived and recovered Dates from the lake. Emergency responders pronounced him dead at the scene. Police said multiple agencies helped with the recovery.
Investigators do not suspect foul play and are classifying the death as an accidental drowning as they continue their review. The sudden death has shaken the small communities of Beebe and Newport.
Friends and neighbors expressed sorrow and called for vigilance around water, especially in low light. Authorities reminded visitors to stay back from edges, go with someone else, and report unsafe park conditions.
