Arkansas man dies in waters off NC’s Outer Banks, National Park Service says

An Arkansas man perished in a “water-related” incident while visiting North Carolina’s Outer Banks, according to the National Park Service.

Robert Sloan Scroggin, 41, died on the afternoon of May 13, and specifics of the mishap have not been released.

“A water-related fatality occurred off a beach in front of the village of Avon,” the NPS said.

“Cape Hatteras National Seashore rangers and the Hatteras Island Rescue Squad provided immediate assistance and Dare County Emergency Medical Services provided additional medical care.”

Avon is a tourist destination bordered by the Pamlico Sound on the west and Atlantic Ocean on the east.

Scroggin was visiting from Fayetteville, Arkansas, and hometown coverage of his death noted Sloan Scroggin was a politician, educator and businessman.

“I am saddened to learn of the passing of former Council Member Sloan Scroggin,” Fayetteville Mayor Molly Rawn wrote in a May 13 social media post. “Sloan cared deeply about Fayetteville and dedicated years of service to our community through the Planning Commission, City Council, and his work helping people build homes and lives here in our city.”

Scroggin was a represented of Ward 3 on the council from 2018 to 2022 and service as a mathematics instructor at the University of Arkansas, according to the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. He was also a realtor and home remodeler, the newspaper said.

Avon is about a 230-mile southeast from downtown Raleigh.