Man drowns in Oconee River

Wheeler County authorities are investigating Sunday’s drowning of a man in his late 20s.

Rodrigo D. Morales was swimming with friends near the Ga. 280 bridge over the Oconee River in Glenwood when he went under the water at about 3 p.m., said Wheeler County Coroner Ted Mercer, who has been trying to contact the victim’s family in Mexico.

His body was recovered in about 45 minutes, Mercer said.

Morales had only been in the community about a week after leaving a job in Texas, Mercer said.