Search ongoing in Coosa River for missing Gadsden man, vehicle discovered on bridge

Multiple agencies searched this afternoon in the waters of the Coosa River for a man missing since shortly before midnight Wednesday.

Bryan Jeremiah Stamps was last seen Tuesday in Gadsden. Det. Lt. Scott Lumpkin said Stamps’ vehicle, a 2002 Honda Accord, was discovered at 11:50 p.m. at the apex of the Meighan Bridge in Gadsden in one of the westbound lanes, with the engine running.

Lumpkin said friends and family had not described Stamps as suicidal, and there was no indication that he jumped from the bridge. Officers attempted to locate his phone, with no success, and looked for him in several locations, including local hospitals, police said.

In fact, his vehicle had been found earlier in the week abandoned in the Tuscaloosa Avenue area, reportedly with transmission trouble.

A family member filed a missing person’s report on Friday at around 5:30 p.m.

Gadsden Police Chief Lamar Jaggears said boat crews were arriving at Coosa Landing in Gadsden to begin a search this afternoon. However, the river current is too swift to use divers, he said.

Stamps is described as standing 5 feet 4 inches tall, weighing about 140 pounds, with black hair and brown eyes.

Boat crews from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, Ball Play, Coates Bend, Hokes Bluff, and Etowah County are taking part in the search.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Gadsden police at (256) 549-4500 or Detective Nick Keener at (256) 549-4634.

This post was modified at 5:36 p.m. CST April 9 to correct information about the person’s cellphone.