The Volusia County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the death of an 81-year-old Ormond Beach man who they say fell off a dock and into a river on Thursday.

Deputies say a witness saw Richard Bass fall into the Norris Dead River, a tributary of the St. Johns River, at the Highland Park Fish Camp in DeLand around 7 a.m. Thursday.

Deputies and rescue personnel from Volusia County Fire Services arrived on scene and helped search for Bass, who was found just before 8 a.m.
He was then transported to Florida Hospital DeLand, where he was pronounced dead.
An autopsy will be conducted by the Volusia County Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death.