County Mounted Patrol assists with search for drowning victim

The Sequoyah County Mounted Search and Rescue Team was among many agencies involved in locating a missing man who drowned Friday evening along with his six-year-old daughter on Caney Creek located west of Stilwell.

The body of Tylen Turman, 43, of Jay, was recovered at 9:45 a.m. Monday around 11 miles northwest of the incident location, according to a report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (Northeast Region Communication Center).

Mack Moad, Commander of the Sequoyah County Mounted Search and Rescue Team, said the six-year-old was found a couple of hours later about 500 ft. from where the vehicle went under. The mounted team and other search and rescue teams combed the creek beds and searching the creek over the weekend to find Turman, Moad said.

According to police reports, the drowning incident occurred around 8:48 p.m. on Nov. 4 about 1.3 miles north of Hwy. 100 and 5.2 miles west of Stilwell in Adair County. The incident was reported after thunderstorms with a heavy downpour of rain fell throughout most of eastern Oklahoma causing flooding in low line areas.

The vehicle, operated by Turman, involved a 2008 Subaru Forrester. Passengers included three children, a 14-yearold male and a nine-yearold female, both of Jay, who made it to safety and were transported by a privately owned vehicle to Siloam Springs Hospital where they were both treated and released. The six year-old female, also of Jay, was pronounced dead at the scene by Adair County EMS.

The Oklahoma Highway Patrol Northeast Communications Center traveling northbound on County Road 4643 Road when it came to a low water bridge with water over the roadway at which the driver attempted to cross. The vehicle was swept into the water and a search began to locate Turman.

Moad said agencies involved in the search included the Cherokee Nation, Adair County Sheriff’s Office, OHP, and several other law enforcement officials, fire departments and volunteers.

“There must have been about 300 people on that first day helping with the search. It was an awesome effort,” he said.

Moad said his team’s efforts included studying the course and trying to determine the location of where Turman might be. “I pinned three locations and they found him on the first one,” he said.

“I just appreciate the group effort in finding the man. I’m sure his family was relieved,” he said. “The effort I saw and was honored to be a part of, was flat out amazing, to each department and volunteers.”

The Sequoyah County Mounted Search and Rescue Team assists 14 counties in Oklahoma with searches involving terrain-type services. The team has a memorandum of understanding with the Cherokee Nation but falls under the department of the Sequoyah County Sheriff’s Office to be on stand-by and assist immediately when needed, Moade said.