Skip to main content

Police ID body of man who was swept away in Roanoke River

ROANOKE, Va. — Police in Virginia say that a body found in the Roanoke River belonged to a man who was seen swept away by high water late last year.

The Roanoke Times reported Wednesday that Dolph Edward Dellinger, 60, had been missing since Dec. 5.

A witness had called 911 and said he had been knocked off his feet and carried away while trying to cross a low-lying bridge under U.S. 220 in Roanoke.

The river’s fast-moving waters were spilling over the bridge following two days of heavy rains. Rescue crews searched for Dellinger for days and used swift-water teams, rescue dogs and drones.

Dellinger’s body was ultimately found about six miles downstream on Jan. 26 near Niagara Dam in Roanoke County.

Completing the FAFSA: Everything you should know

Filling out the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, which opens by Dec. 31, is one of the most important steps students and their families can take to pay for college. Some states now make completing the FAFSA a high school graduation requirement. The U.S. Department of Education awarded about $111.6 billion in federal grants, loans and work-study funds in fiscal year 2022, according to the most recent Federal Student Aid annual report. Those federal funds will assist roughly 9.8 million students in completing their education.
Read Next Story