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Body of 80-year-old man recovered from Ogden River; Ogden Canyon reopened to traffic

Posted at 1:44 PM, May 06, 2019
and last updated 2019-05-06 19:16:51-04

WEBER COUNTY, Utah —  An investigation is underway after an 80-year-old man was found dead in the Ogden river Monday afternoon.

Lt. Matt Jensen with the Weber County Sheriff's Office said it started with a concerned call from family members who drove by and saw the man's car parked on state Route 39 near mile marker 10.

"There were items near the bank of the river and family members confirmed it was possibly an 80-year-old elderly man that owned the car and that it was his items," Jensen said.

Multiple agencies were called out to help in the search.

"After about an hour one of the teams located the man caught up against some brush on the side of the bank," Jensen said.

Deputies still aren't sure what the man was doing in the Ogden river.

"We don’t know. Our investigators are up here trying to figure things out," Jensen said. "It appears he was alone so we don’t know if he fell in, or if he got in. We’re uncertain at this time on that."

Whether it was intentional or not, deputies say the conditions are far too dangerous for any kind of recreational activity.

"The point where he went in is kind of a narrow area and it gets really, it’s rocky and very swift so it's very dangerous and we don’t recommend anyone going even near the river because chances of surviving if you fall in are real slim," Jensen said.

Deputies are still trying to notify all family members before releasing the victim's name.