CBS 19 - The Eye of East Texas News - Rescue crews find man missing in Little Cypress Creek

Rescue crews find man missing in Little Cypress Creek

In Harrison County, rescue crews have found the body of 27-year-old Antoinne Chism of Linden. Chism crashed his motorcycle into the Little Cypress Creek, which flows by FM 450.

At 2:40 Sunday afternoon, the motorcyclist lost control on a curve on FM 450, and was sent flying into the creek. Marion County divers, Harrison County crews, along with Texas DPS and Longview Fire were all on the scene.

International ALERT Academy diver, Specialist Gabriel Flores says searching underwater for a drowning victim is like a backwards snow angel. But in this flooded Harrison County creek, there were many many obstacles.

"We had no visibility, there's a lot of barbed wire and thorns and trees and branches and in order to go over all that we had to go really slowly in order to cover ground very efficiently," Specialist Flores explained Monday.

They had to be careful not to overlook 27 year old Antwain Chism, who crashed his motorcycle into Little Cypress Creek Sunday afternoon.

"We was coming to the curve here and my brother went off the bridge and they been taking their time ever since," said Chism's brother Romar.

The wreck happened at 2:40 p.m., divers found his bike first, marked it by tying it off to a tree, then began to branch out in the murky creek. Six hours later, a lack of progress became frustrating for Chism's family.

"I feel like the divers should go farther than what they're doing and get more help in because they're circling in the same area and been there for 5 hours it seems like," Chism's mother, Rose, said frustated Sunday night.

Just after 10 Sunday night, Chism's body was found. Although this was great experience for this soon to be ALERT Academy graduate, the biggest lesson was learned when Chism's mother hugged her son's lifeless body.

"We were glad to find the body and it was very hard to watch the reaction of the family missing their loved one."