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Search for missing area man
ends
Monday August 30, 2004
TORONTO, Ohio - A full day of searching the Ohio River off
the shore of Captain Cooke's Marina on Saturday did not uncover
the body of a Weirton man believed to have drowned early
Saturday morning.
Toronto Police Department said the man, whose name was not
released, had traveled from Weirton, where he docked with a
friend to go to Captain Cooke's in Toronto to enjoy
entertainment at the marina on Friday night. Police said the man
and his friend were supposed to spend the night on the missing
man's houseboat.
Police said the friend said he went to sleep at approximately
3 a.m. The friend said he wasn't concerned until he woke up
Saturday morning and noticed the missing man's bed had not been
slept in.
Toronto police said they were notified at approximately 12:30
p.m. Saturday after the friend had contacted family to see if
they had heard from the missing man. Police first searched the
area around the marina when they arrived.
"Everything we've learned leads us back to here (marina),"
said Toronto police.
Police said the man's wallet and cigarettes were missing, but
his keys were still on the boat. The man's house in Weirton was
also searched. Area search and rescue teams from Weirton, New
Cumberland and Chester fire departments were called in shortly
after Toronto police were notified.
Weirton Fire Department used an underwater camera to search
the murky Ohio River around the docks. Crews were then assisted
by a cadaver dog from Steel Valley Search Dogs, who were doing
team training in Richmond and were able to make it to the scene
quickly.
Clark Crago, Toronto Emergency Medical Services chief, said
the cadaver dog picked up a scent from around the wreckage of a
half-sunken crane to the south of the Captain Cook's docks. When
divers from the Cadiz Fire Department arrived at 4:30 p.m., they
concentrated their search around the wreckage, but did not find
anything.
Then, the Pennsylvania Air, Search and Rescue Team out of
Pittsburgh arrived with two more cadaver dogs, several
underwater cameras, divers and a helicopter equipped with an
infrared camera.
Anthony Rozzano, commander of the emergency response team and
with the Allegheny County Sheriff's Office, said the
helicopter's camera could look under the water eight to 10 feet.
The helicopter made several passes over the marina, but could
not detect anything.
Crago said the Pittsburgh search team's cadaver dogs both
picked up a scent from the same place as the first dog.
Unfortunately, the rescue had carried on into the evening and it
was too dark to dive.
Crago said the search will likely not continue today, since
bad weather is in the forecast and the river will likely be
swift and murky. He also said no more dives will be planned
unless necessary, since the search has now just become a
recovery. Crago said teams will search the river Monday, weather
permitting, to see if the body has surfaced.
"There's no sense in risking anyone's life," said Crago.
The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department and the West
Virginia State Police also assisted in the search and
investigation
On Sunday the search resumed. Rescue crews didn't locate
Melko on Saturday, and Abdalla said he asked that all boats at
the marina be moved Sunday so the area around the dock could be
searched and the river dragged. The sheriff said Melko's body
was found about 100 yards south of the dock in the river. Clark
Crago, Toronto Emergency Medical Services chief, said Melko's
body was located at 7:47 p.m. Sunday
CAREER PERSONNEL PROMOTED
August 27, 2004
left to right: Craig Churchill - Mayor Miller - Ted Maslowski
Two Weirton firefighters were granted the
positions of officers in theWeirton Fire Department during a
swearing-in ceremony held Thursday in council’s chambers at the
Weirton City Building. Ted Maslowski and Craig Churchill were
granted the rank of lieutenant in the fire department after
meeting the requirements laid out by law. "We’re fortunate to
have two individuals able to move up in the ranks of the fire
department," Mayor William Miller said. As part of the ceremony,
each of the new lieutenants were asked to promise to uphold the
Constitution of the United States, the Constitution of West
Virginia and the ordinances of the City of Weirton while
carrying out the duties of their new positions.
Congratulations Craig
and Ted!
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