Deputy Scott Arner, 43, a resident of Neosho, died Friday during an investigative dive in a mine pit northwest of Joplin. Jasper County Sheriff Bill Pierce said Arner and others were searching the ice-covered water for a body during an investigation into a possible homicide when the veteran deputy failed to come to the surface. He was pulled from the water by other divers and taken to a Joplin hospital, but efforts to revive him failed. An autopsy showed that Arner drowned. Authorities are investigating in an attempt to determine the cause of drowning. Arner was said to be a master diver.

 

Sheriff's Capt. Tony Coleman said Sgt. Scott Arner died in an accident that happened at about 6 p.m. Friday. "He was taking part in an investigation for the Jasper County Sheriff's Department," Coleman said Friday night. "He's been with the sheriff's department since 1989; he's a patrol sergeant, he's a K9 officer, and he serves as deputy coroner." Arner also was a member of the department's dive team. County Coroner Mosbaugh said Arner and others had been diving near the intersection of Lone Elm Road and West Zora Street northwest of Joplin. The body of water is on property at Mattes Brothers Asphalt he said. Carl Junction Fire Chief Bill Dunn said the body of water was probably an old mine shaft, one of dozens that riddle the area. "They go out there sometimes hunting stolen property," Dunn said. "Our guys responded with the ambulance and helped carry him out." Scott Skoglund, a Carl Junction firefighter who responded to the scene, said ice covered most of the water where the accident happened.

 

Deputy Scott Arner was a NAPWDA Accredited Trainer and also a Jasper County Sheriff's Office police dog handler with his K9 partner, Magnum, who sat on the floor near the family during the service.