Rescue workers pulled the body a Cobb County police officer from Lake Allatoona Friday afternoon.
A dive team found the body of Sgt. Thomas "Brent" Stephens, 35, of Paulding County at about 1:30 p.m., officials at the scene said at a 3:30 p.m. press conference. Cobb County police confirmed that Stephens had been employed with the force since 1996.
The body was taken to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation's Crime Lab to determine the cause of death, Cherokee Sheriff's Capt. Joe Perkins said.
Multiple police agencies were searching Lake Allatoona for Stephens, who fell off a boat Thursday night.
Lt. Jay Baker of the Cherokee sheriff's department said two men were boating from a restaurant near Little River Marina back to Harbor Town Marina when the driver -- also a Cobb police officer -- noticed his friend was missing. The friend searched the area before calling 911, Baker said.
The search started immediately early Friday morning with State Patrol helicopters flying overhead and boats in the water. At daylight, divers from Forsyth, Hall, Cobb and Cherokee counties arrived at the scene. Searchers also were using sonar and looking along the banks in case Stephens swam ashore.
Department of Natural Resources spokesman Cpl. James Keener said the 911 call came at 10:45 p.m.
"Unfortunately we have several drownings a year at Lake Allatoona," Perkins said. "The cooperation of all of the agencies involved was fantastic. The gentleman that was here was a police officer, and the law enforcement community really came out to support everybody that was doing the search."
Stephens' death is the second drowning at Lake Allatoona in a week. Raul Cruz Martinez, 23, was swimming when friends last week when he suddenly went under the water, officials said. Martinez, of Acworth, was the first drowning of the year at Lake Allatoona, according to the DNR.
Harbor Town Marina is off Galts Ferry Road.
Stephens was a longtime SWAT team member and was promoted to sergeant in December, Officer Joseph Hernandez said.
Stephens is married with two small children, a neighbor, Shelley Pruitt, told the AJC Friday afternoon. Friends and family gathered at the Stephens' home, in the Canterbury Lane neighborhood, she said.
"Brent was an excellent police officer, and he was not only an asset to the department, but also to the citizens and county that he served," said George Hatfield, chief of Cobb County police, in a statement. "Brent was a close friend to many officers in this department, and he will be sorely missed."
-- Staff writer Mike Morris contributed to this article.
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