An admired basketball coach at a Florida high school died in a “tragic accident” last weekend, officials said.
Dexter Butler was found dead in a storm drain near Key West High School on Saturday, March 2, according to Fox 35. Officers received a call about an injured person before they got to the scene. Police don’t suspect any foul play in this case.
“We offer our sincere condolences to his family and to all students who knew and worked with him,” Monroe County School District said in a statement referring to Butler, a teacher at Horace O’Bryant School.
Rick Lopez, the general manager at Florida Keys Media, which covers the high school’s sporting events, told NBC Miami that he’s known Butler for years and described him as kind, gentle, and “full of life.”
Lopez learned from Butler’s family that he dropped his keys in the drain and attempted to get them, per the report. The victim then drowned after falling inside the underground area infrastructure created to drain excess water.
“He took the grate out and was trying to get his keys,” Lopez added. “Something happened where he went in and we ended up losing him that way.”
A Georgia-based drain cleaning expert told Atlanta Black Star that if someone falls inside, they should immediately call 911 or, if that’s not possible, yell loudly to signal a person nearby. In some cases, steps inside the structure could help an individual escape.
“Normally… they’re supposed to be covered for safety reasons,” the expert said, referring to the storm drain. “I wouldn’t say it’s common, but it is a safety hazard if they are open. They could be very deep, so it’s a big fall hazard.”
He continued, “There are also gasses that could be present inside the storm drain lines because they are deep down…like hydrogen sulfide [and] carbon monoxide, which could be…lethal.”
Earlier this week, the school community gathered to pay tribute to Butler with flowers and heartfelt notes on his classroom door. A GoFundMe was created to assist his family during this difficult time. It exceeded its goal and raised more than $60,000 as of Thursday, March 7.
“Dexter was known as many things. Most importantly, a father, son, husband, brother, nephew, uncle, cousin, athlete, great friend, beloved coach, and respected teacher,” the fundraiser said. “He was and will remain to be an admired mentor and a HUGE influence for the children and teens in our community. He will be missed dearly by so many, and his loss will affect many of us in so many ways.”
