22-Year-Old Man Drowns at R. Shaefer Heard Park in Troup County

On Tuesday, July 1, 2025, at approximately 7:10 p.m., Troup County 911 received a report of a swimmer in distress at R. Shaefer Heard Park near the West Point Dam.

Emergency crews, including the Georgia Department of Natural Resources and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, responded immediately. Upon confirmation that the swimmer had not resurfaced, search and recovery operations commenced with the Troup County Fire Department Dive Team.

Severe weather in the area briefly halted recovery efforts due to safety concerns. Operations resumed once conditions improved, and at approximately 10:45 p.m., the victim was recovered from the water.

The deceased has been identified as 22-year-old Lorenzo Collins of Stockbridge, Georgia. The incident is being treated as a tragic swimming accident.