Man pulled from North Highland Dam area identified

Using information from law enforcement, the prison system and available contact information, authorities identified the man pulled from the North Highland Dam on Friday.

Steven Michael Jascomb, 34, has relatives in Lima, Ala., but he may be buried by the city, Muscogee County Coroner Buddy Bryan said Tuesday. An autopsy was completed Monday but a cause of death is still pending toxicology and other tests, the coroner said.

Jascomb’s mother was contacted Monday in Lima after local law enforcement authorities gathered information from Phenix City Police Department and other law enforcement authorities. Jascomb also served three years of a five-year sentence for a 2006 aggravated assault in Upson County, according to the Georgia Department of Corrections.

“We chased him by his tattoos and through the prison,” the coroner said. “The prison had an address for him. “

Jascomb was pronounced dead of possible drowning at 7:27 p.m. Friday by Muscogee County Deputy Coroner Charles Newton.

“It appears he was in the water a while,” Newton said.

Emergency medical and rescue personnel from the Columbus Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services were called to the area about quarter-mile south of the J.R. Allen Parkway bridge after two Georgia Power Co. employees spotted a body floating in the river about 6 p.m.

There was no indication or any injuries to the body. The man was wearing nylon-type pants with a zipper and no shirt.

To help identify Jascomb, Newton said the sheriff’s offices in Clay and Russell counties were contacted for information. The Lee County Sheriff’s Office also was contacted.

This story was originally published July 24, 2018 at 6:25 PM.