Nearly two weeks after a car plunged into a Plain City retention pond and appeared to come up empty, police have confirmed the worst. Officers recovered the body of 26-year-old Charlie Tona Thach from the same pond along Lafayette-Plain City Road between Caroline Drive and Estate Road on Wednesday afternoon. Thach, who had been reported missing to Columbus police, was identified later that day. An autopsy is underway to determine the cause and manner of death.
Crash Into Water, Then Weeks of Uncertainty
Officers first responded to the pond around 4 a.m. on April 24, when a car reportedly lost control and slid into the water. The vehicle was pulled from the pond with no one inside, according to WTTE. Dive teams went back into the water multiple times, and a sonar sweep followed, but those early searches came up empty.
The uncertainty ended just before 2 p.m. on Wednesday, when Plain City officers discovered a body "partially submerged and partially floating" in the pond, the station reported. Authorities later confirmed it was Thach, who most recently lived in Plain City.
Retention Ponds Look Calm, But They Can Kill
Retention ponds are a routine feature of suburban stormwater systems, but they can hide danger. Many lack fencing, signage, or other protective measures, which makes them risky not just for swimmers and children but also for motorists, according to PLOS Global Public Health. That analysis found that numerous retention-pond sites had no barriers at all and urged layered prevention strategies to reduce drowning risk.
The local tragedy also sits within a broader national problem. Each year in the United States, roughly 4,000 people die from unintentional drowning, and those rates have been climbing in recent years, especially among vulnerable groups, according to the CDC.
Police Keep Probe Open As Autopsy Proceeds
Plain City police publicly thanked partner agencies for sticking with the search and said they "extend our deepest condolences to the family and friends of Mr. Charlie Thach," according to WTTE. After a final sweep of the scene, officials said no additional victims were found.
Investigators say the autopsy results will help determine whether any further action is needed. The case remains open, and police have not released additional details about what led up to the crash.
Anyone with information about the April 24 crash or Thach's disappearance is asked to contact the Plain City Division of Police. Local officials are also reminding residents to treat retention ponds as hazardous, even when the water looks calm, and to report any unusual activity around open-water sites.
