Woodstock man dies after being swept away in Cobb County creek

A Woodstock man who jumped into Noonday Creek Sunday night and was swept away by the current was found dead Tuesday morning, Cobb County Police say.

What happened: Officers went to Noonday Park at 550 Shallowford Road around 9:55 p.m. Sunday after 31-year-old Otoniel Cruz jumped into the creek and tried to swim across. The current pulled him under and he never came back up.

How he was found: Searchers used thermal imaging cameras and drones to look for Cruz through the night and into the next day. He was found dead Tuesday morning.

Graduation-themed image featuring a black graduation cap with a gold tassel, a rolled diploma tied with a navy blue ribbon, and a stack of books. One book prominently displayed is titled "Principles Are Like Pants, You Ought to Have Some... And Other Life Lessons" by B.T. Clark, with a cartoon illustration of a smiling man pointing at pants hanging in a closet. Text on the image reads: "Now that you've got the CAP and GOWN, maybe get some pants." A banner below states: "THE PERFECT GRADUATION GIFT - A hilarious look at life that every graduate will love!" Gold confetti is scattered throughout the image.

B.T. Clark

Publisher at The Georgia Sun – btclark@thegeorgiasun.com

B.T. Clark is an award-winning journalist and the Publisher of The Georgia Sun. He has 25 years of experience in journalism and served as Managing Editor of Neighbor Newspapers in metro Atlanta for 15 years and Digital Director at Times-Journal Inc. for 8 years. His work has appeared in several newspapers throughout the state including Neighbor Newspapers, The Cherokee Tribune and The Marietta Daily Journal. He is a Georgia native and a fifth-generation Georgian.