By Daily Mail (U.S.) | Created at 2025-01-02 17:03:22 | Updated at 2025-01-05 01:09:51
2 days ago
The body of a 79-year-old man who went missing while running errands on Christmas Day has been recovered from a Louisiana lake.
Authorities reported that Charles Veith's body was discovered Tuesday morning in Lake Pontchartrain near the Kenner boat launch.
A spokesperson noted that the body appeared to have been in the water 'for some time,' as reported by WVUE.
Veith, a Houston, Texas resident, had been visiting family in New Orleans for the holidays when he disappeared.
According to police, he was last seen around 12:30 p.m. on Christmas Day in Metairie.
He left his family's home to run an errand but never returned, according to Texas EquuSearch, a nonprofit search and recovery organization.
'It's always a tragic situation when a friend, loved one, or family member is found deceased, and it's especially difficult during the holiday season,' said Mike McCormick with the Kenner Police Department. 'Our hearts go out to the family.'
Veith's vehicle, a gray Ford Edge with a Texas Knights of Columbus license plate, remains missing.
Authorities reported that Charles Veith's body was discovered Tuesday morning in Lake Pontchartrain near the Kenner boat launch
A spokesperson noted that the body appeared to have been in the water 'for some time,' as reported by WVUE
While foul play is not suspected, an autopsy will be conducted to determine the cause and manner of his death.
That same night, police reported that a truck entered the lake in the same area, but the incident is unrelated.
Additionally, a week earlier, Lake Pontchartrain Causeway Bridge was the site of a massive 40-car pileup during severely foggy conditions.
The collisions occurred on December 17 at around 8:30 a.m., causing significant traffic delays on the 24-mile-long bridge, which had to be temporarily closed.
At least 33 people were hospitalized as a result of the six multi-vehicle accidents, according to the St. Tammany Fire District. The most severe part of the collision occurred around the 18-mile mark of the bridge.
Causeway General Manager Carlton Dufrechou told NOLA.com that despite the severity of the crashes, everyone injured is expected to recover.
Footage from Fox 8 revealed an 18-wheeler involved in the pileup, along with numerous vehicles crushed and facing different directions. Some vehicles caught fire following the collisions.
Initial reports estimated 11 vehicles were involved, but authorities later confirmed that 40 to 50 cars were affected.
Dufrechou attributed the crash to a combination of heavy fog and 'rubber-necking.' Visibility on parts of Lake Pontchartrain, including the bridge, was less than a mile at the time, according to the National Weather Service.
'It's always a tragic situation when a friend, loved one, or family member is found deceased, and it's especially difficult during the holiday season,' said Mike McCormick with the Kenner Police Department
Eyewitness accounts described the chaos. Kristin Hendry, a commuter stopped on the bridge, told NOLA.com, 'It was really foggy. As cars passed me I would watch them until they disappeared in the fog. There should have been a convoy.'
Another witness, Gary Cassard, described the scene to Fox 8: 'It was a domino effect. The fog was so thick you couldn't see a block ahead. I saw multiple cars, including an 18-wheeler, collide and heard what sounded like explosions behind me.'
Due to the hazardous conditions, other roads in the area were also shut down as a precaution.
