Cumberland County man drowns in farm pond

An 80-year-old Cumberland County man died early this morning in a private Goochland County farm pond after his canoe capsized, tossing him and another fisherman into the water, according to the Goochland County Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff James L. Agnew said Harold G. Sutton, 78, of Ampthill Road in Cartersville, and his friend launched their 17-foot canoe around 7:30 this morning at the pond off Sandy Hook Road in central Goochland County.

Sometime between 8 and 8:15 a.m. the canoe capsized approximately 25 yards from shore.

Sutton attempted to swim to the shore but began to struggle in the water. His companion, a 20-year-old Goochland man, tried to help him but was unable to prevent him from going under the water.

The companion, who was uninjured, reached shore and called 911 from a nearby home. Goochland fire and rescue units, sheriff's deputies and Conservation Police Officers called for the assistance of the Henrico County dive team, which arrived at 9:10 a.m.

After a search that lasted approximately an hour and a half, Henrico Fire divers located Sutton's body in 11 feet of water. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11:26 a.m. and his body was transported to the Medical Examiner's Office in Richmond.

Neither man was wearing a flotation device.