William “Bill” North was serving as a race spotter when authorities say he fell into Logan Martin Lake.
ST. CLAIR COUNTY, Ala. — A longtime Alabama prosecutor died after falling into Logan Martin Lake during a sailboat race Sunday, June 28, while serving as a spotter for the Pell City Sail Club, authorities said.
William “Bill” R. North, 64, was an assistant district attorney for the Bessemer division of the Jefferson County District Attorney’s Office. His death drew shock across the Birmingham-area legal community, where colleagues described him as a steady courtroom presence, a mentor and one of the office’s longest-serving career prosecutors.
The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency said North was helping with an ongoing race near the Pell City Sail Club when the accident happened at about 3 p.m. Sunday. Officials said North tried to move from a sailboat to an unoccupied jon boat, fell into the water and did not resurface. Search crews worked through the evening and returned Monday. His body was recovered at about 11:12 a.m. June 29 near the same area where he entered the lake.
The search included local police and fire crews, marine patrol troopers and aviation support from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency. Officials have described the case as a boating accident. No public statement has indicated foul play. Logan Martin Lake, a large reservoir on the Coosa River, spans parts of St. Clair and Talladega counties and is a common site for boating, fishing and sailing events.
North had worked as a prosecutor in Jefferson County’s Bessemer Cutoff for nearly 30 years. Jefferson County District Attorney Lynneice Washington, who leads the Bessemer division, said her office was devastated by his death. Washington said North worked tirelessly for justice and left a deep void in the office and in the courts where he spent much of his career.
Birmingham defense attorney Truman Fitzgerald said North was known as a tough prosecutor who took his work seriously, but also as a lawyer willing to guide younger attorneys even when they were on the other side of a case. “I just couldn’t believe it,” Fitzgerald said after learning of North’s death. He said North’s willingness to mentor others showed the character many people in the legal community remembered.
Circuit Judge David Carpenter said North had been the lead prosecutor in his courtroom for the past 12 years. Carpenter described him as an outstanding lawyer who cared about crime victims and supported treatment programs for offenders in proper cases. He also said North helped interns, mentored young lawyers and lectured in criminal justice courses at the University of Alabama.
North was close to retirement, according to colleagues. Fitzgerald said North’s family had been preparing for more time with him after years of public service. Instead, friends, relatives and co-workers were left planning memorials and remembering a prosecutor whose career was closely tied to the Bessemer courthouse.
Authorities have not announced additional investigative steps beyond the recovery of North’s body. As of July 1, officials had not reported any charges or enforcement action connected to the incident.
Author note: Last updated July 1, 2026.