Man Falls Over Waterfall While Trying to Catch His Dog

Authorities in Kentucky say a 23-year-old man has died after he apparently fell while chasing his dog near a waterfall at a local national park.

Isaac Lee Turpin, from Somerset, was found dead Friday morning by visitors who spotted his body “in the water at Yahoo Falls” in Big South Fork National River and Recreation Area, according to a news release from the National Park Service.

Turpin and his dog were hiking the trailhead when Turpin’s dog broke loose, Sheriff David Sampson said in a statement shared by the McCreary County Sheriff’s Office. 

“It appears that Mr Turpin and his dog was hiking the Yahoo Falls trail head when his dog had gotten loose from him and he had tried to catch the dog and slipped and fell over the Yahoo Falls,” police said.

Yahoo Falls is about 113 feet high, according to the NPS.

Deputies who responded to the scene reportedly were “able to move the body from the water” and “confirm the male individual was deceased,” the sheriff’s office said.

Turpin “was pronounced dead” at 12:41 p.m. local time, according to the NPS’ release.

His body “was removed from the scene by the McCreary County Coroner’s Office and taken to the Kentucky Medical Examiner’s Office in Frankfort “for an autopsy report,” per the sheriff’s office.

Turpin had an associate degree from Morehead State University, and became a member of the U.S. Army National Guard in July 2019, according to his obituary.

Most recently, Turpin served as a sergeant with the 1123rd Sapper Company and was a mechanic at UGN Automotive of Somerset. He received numerous military awards, including the National Defense Medal, Army Service Ribbon and Armed Forces Service Medal.

Cherish Menkin, Turpin’s girlfriend, paid tribute to her “special” partner in a post on Facebook.

“You healed so much brokenness and replaced it with love I had never experienced,” Menkin added. “We didn’t deserve this, we were just beginning 💔 keep those arms open, I’ll be waiting to be in them again one day. I love you so much Isaac.”

An investigation into the incident is ongoing.