Missing man may have driven over collapsed road in Iowa, after historic rainfall
By Aaron Hegarty
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PERSIA, Iowa (KETV) — Investigators believe a now-missing man drove over a collapsed road in Harrison County, Iowa, early Thursday morning.
KETV observed a huge gap in the collapsed road over the creek on Road F-58, which is just west of Persia. The road won’t be passable for quite a while.
Portsmouth fire chief Michael Leinen said the missing man travels across this stretch of road every morning on his way to work — but he never showed.
A vehicle that was submerged in the water was removed.
Officials have not yet released the man’s name or photo.
Leinen and other volunteer fire and rescue personnel were walking Spring Creek southwest of Persia on Thursday morning after historic rainfall hit the area.
“Two guys started by the highway, walked up to see if we could find car parts or any vehicle of some sort that would give us another lead. And obviously, we didn’t see nothing. So now we’re just waiting for the sheriff to kind of get here and fly a drone and think of another game plan and go from there. I mean, the water’s high enough to where this car could be 10 miles from where we’re at right now, and not even really know it yet,” Leinen said.
Leinen and others were paged out to a crash in the area around 5 a.m., officials said.
He said it was a man who was able to make it over the gap and leave without injuries despite not seeing it.
The investigation is ongoing.
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