Medical examiner releases cause of death for young father pulled from Gretna pond

PITTSYLVANIA COUNTY, Va. – The medical examiner’s office has released the cause and manner of death of a young father pulled out of a Gretna pond last week.

Police said Chance Harris was in an accident on the evening of April 6 and his body was pulled from a nearby pond several hours after the crash. The medical examiner’s office said he died of an accidental drowning.

The crash happened in the 1100 block of Player Road in Gretna around 6:30 p.m., when deputies said they received a report claiming that a vehicle had rolled down a hill and hit a tree.

Witnesses told officers that Harris proceeded to get out of his car, was in the middle of the road and then entered the pond without coming out. The search for Harris lasted for several hours before authorities found his body.

Harris was a 22-year-old father of two from Hurt.