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Posted on Fri, Jul 19, 2013 : 2:32 p.m.

Body pulled from Ford Lake after search

By Kyle Feldscher

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Editor's note: This story has been updated to confirm that missing resident Anthony M. Zellars was the man found in the lake.

Correction: Deputies initially said the man's name was Anthony Cellars. That was incorrect. His name is Anthony Zellars.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office investigators pulled a man identified as missing resident Anthony M. Zellars from the waters of Ford Lake Friday afternoon and are investigating the death.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Geoffrey Fox said deputies were called about 11 a.m. Friday to Lake Pointe Apartments, in the 5900 block of Bridge Road, for a report of a man floating face down in the water. A search ensued and Fox confirmed one man was found dead.

“We got called out there in reference to a citizen going out behind the apartment complex on Bridge Road and seeing him floating in the water,” Fox said.

Washtenaw County Sheriff’s Office spokesman Derrick Jackson confirmed at 3:15 p.m. Friday that the man found in the lake was Zellars, a 55-year-old man reported missing on Thursday.

Zellars was last seen at 10 p.m. Wednesday outside of the Lake Pointe Apartments. Witnesses told AnnArbor.com he had been at a cookout near the apartments that night but did not come home. He is reportedly a longtime resident of the apartment complex.

Witnesses told AnnArbor.com a woman who worked at the Lake Pointe Apartments was sitting on benches looking out at Ford Lake Friday morning when she spotted the body. Emergency personnel were called to the scene shortly afterward.

Divers and deputies in the boat pulled Zellars out of the water at 1:30 p.m., about two-and-a-half hours after first responders were first called to the scene. The murky water was stirred up by high winds and seemed to complicate the initial search.

Just before Zellars was pulled from the water, Fox confirmed he was dead.

Personnel from Huron Valley Ambulance pointed out the person from the shore of the lake while divers entered from the shore near Bridge Road. Divers worked their way up the shoreline toward the grassy area just north of the Lake Pointe Apartments before circling back and heading to a wooded area on the shoreline.

Divers put Zellars in a body bag before putting him into the small boat that had been drifting in circles in the area for much of the search. The boat then pulled west toward a dock area.

Fox said Zellars would be taken to the Washtenaw County Medical Examiner’s Office and an autopsy could be performed Saturday.

How Zellars ended up in water is still unclear. Rumors started almost immediately after the search began. Fox said the investigation is underway.

“We’re doing an investigation to determine if there’s a criminal element or if it’s an accident,” Fox said.

Deputies at the scene did not speak to AnnArbor.com.


View Larger Map Kyle Feldscher covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at kylefeldscher@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Comments

Kyle Feldscher

Mon, Jul 22, 2013 : 10:50 p.m.

I've made a correction on this story. The man's name was initially given to us as Anthony M. Cellars by deputies. That was incorrect. His name is Anthony M. Zellars. I've made that correct and noted it at the top of the story.

IVote

Sat, Jul 20, 2013 : 3:55 p.m.

I'm very sorry you lost your loved one.

Messa

Sat, Jul 20, 2013 : 12:22 a.m.

What a shame. Condolences to the family.

justcurious

Fri, Jul 19, 2013 : 8:54 p.m.

I'm very sorry to hear of Mr. Cellar's death. I was hoping for a happy ending. How sad.

julieswhimsies

Fri, Jul 19, 2013 : 7:28 p.m.

This is very sad news. I have no comment, as there are very few facts available in this post.

huh7891

Sat, Jul 20, 2013 : 9:56 p.m.

Okayyyy?

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