Body recovered after worker falls into Big Timber Creek in Gloucester County

WESTVILLE, N.J. (WPVI) -- After hours of searching on Wednesday night, crews recovered a body in the search for a missing worker along the Big Timber Creek.

The man, identified by police as 36-year-old Valentin Garciagaona, had been working for a contracting company when he lost his footing and fell into the water, according to Westville Police Chief Michael Packer.

It happened around 1:30 p.m. on the 500 block of Edgewater Drive in Westville, Gloucester County.

"Another relative from my family just called me. I was getting ready for work and he told me, 'Your brother's missing,'" recalled the victim's brother, Miguel.

Officials say someone tried to throw the man a line in the backyard, but he wasn't able to grab on.

"The caller called 911, and then the caller lost sight of where he was in the water," explained Packer.

Crews searched for hours until Garcia-Gaona's body was found around 9:30 p.m., about 20-30 yards south of where he went missing, Packer said.

Dive teams from Gloucester, Cumberland, Atlantic, and Camden counties assisted with the search, alongside boats from New Jersey State Police and local fire departments.

Authorities were hopeful low tide after nightfall would help as they combed the murky waters of the creek, which they estimate are more than 10 feet deep.

"The current does move pretty swift in this area. Again, this is the Big Timber Creek, which leads right out to the Delaware River here, so yeah, it does move pretty swiftly," said Andrew Halter of the Gloucester County Emergency Management.

Garcia-Gaona reportedly owned a lawn care company in town, along with a local pizza shop.