Columbus man drowns while vacationing in Florida Panhandle
A Columbus man drowned Tuesday night after getting caught in a riptide in the Gulf of Mexico near the Okaloosa Island pier, according to a news release from the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office.
Firefighters and Okaloosa EMS crews tried to save 36-year-old Ulysses Williams after he was pulled to shore around 6:10 p.m., but he was unconscious and not breathing. He was pronounced dead later that day at the Fort Walton Beach Medical Center.
A friend said Williams, who was visiting the area, panicked after getting caught in a rip current, according to authorities.
Sarah Robinson: 706-571-8622, @sarahR_92
This story was originally published June 8, 2016 at 10:32 AM with the headline "Columbus man drowns while vacationing in Florida Panhandle."