Community pays respects to Ga. deputy who drowned while doing yard work

OCONEE COUNTY, Ga. — The Oconee County community gathered on Friday to pay their respects to a deputy who died unexpectedly while doing yard work.

Channel 2′s Berndt Petersen was among dozens of people who lined the intersection of Mars Hill and Hog Mountain roads.

Kayla Cargile and her four daughters joined the group mourning the loss of Lieutenant Scott Underwood.

“We’ve seen him on calls. It’s not just the community, it’s family to us,” Kayla Cargile said.

[DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks]

Lt. Underwood, 50, served as a deputy for 21 years.

“I just felt appreciative that I’m allowed to come and able to support everything that is happening right now,” 10-year-old Savannah Cargile said.

Lt. Underwood died last week while doing yard work. The riding lawnmower he was using flipped over into a creek.

The procession of the sheriff’s office and police cars was a mile long.

TRENDING STORIES:

• Woman accused of breaking into restaurant to make salad, ruining $500 worth of food items
• Woman called police after thieves hit a metro Lululemon store, she was then fired
• ‘A level of closure’: Mom of 2-year-old who died in hot car reacts to news her ex won’t be retried

Kayla Cargile, a paramedic, says too many refuse to respect those who wear the badge. She says her children know better because she’s teaching them.

“As a person, as a family, and as a community we all need to do better and uplift everybody around us. We’re going to teach them what we want them to learn as well,” Kayla Cargile said.

Deputy Underwood was laid to rest in Farmington Cemetery. The Scott Underwood Benefit Account is set up at Oconee State Bank to help his wife and two children.

[SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter]

Funeral procession to be held today for Oconee deputy who drowned while doing yard work

©2022 Cox Media Group