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Police identify woman’s body found in car submerged in Quail Creek Reservoir

Posted at 7:24 AM, May 19, 2015
and last updated 2015-05-19 13:26:47-04
Courtesy: St. George News

Courtesy: St. George News

WASHINGTON COUNTY, Utah – Authorities have identified the body of a woman found in a car at the bottom of the Quail Creek Reservoir as 58-year-old Sherry L. Cowger of Hurricane.

Hurricane City Police Dept. sent Fox 13 this statement:

“From the investigation we have not been able to determine why the vehicle she was operating left the roadway.  It was found that she was traveling South on 5300 West (SR 318) and left the roadway to the left and went off the embankment and rolled down the hill, landing in the water.  She was driving a 2004 Red Ford Focus. Sherry’s body has been transported the Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy to determine the cause of death.”

Washington County police said officers found the car about 70 feet from the shore overnight.

Police said the woman’s body inside the car was still strapped in the seat belt submerged in about 30 feet of water.

The St. George News reported dive teams were called in after a BYU geology group in the area called 911 when they heard a loud “suspicious” noise at about 6 p.m. Monday.

Scott Zylstra, one of the geology group members, talked to the St. George News.

“We were on the other side, that side of the lake and just heard a couple loud crashes and then looked as soon as we could and just saw this cloud of dust and then something – couldn’t tell what it was – in the water; it was too far away,” he said. “It just kind of slowly sank.”

Quail Creek Reservoir officials said the dive team found the body in the car shortly before midnight.

Check back with Fox 13 for the latest updates.

Body found in car in Quail Creek