Body recovered from Russian River determined to be missing 74-year-old man
SANTA ROSA, Calif. - The body of a missing 74-year-old was man recovered Saturday afternoon in the Russian River, the California Highway Patrol said in an update.
The backstory
Clifford Souza was first reported missing on Wednesday. He was reportedly last seen in Gualala in Mendocino County around 1 p.m. driving his gray Ford pickup truck wearing a dark-colored shirt or jacket with tan pants, according to a Silver Alert issued on Thursday by the CHP.
The Silver Alert was activated for Marin, Sonoma, Napa, and Mendocino Counties.
Around 2:30 p.m. Saturday, CHP Santa Rosa officers responded to reports of a crash on State Route 1 north of State Route 116.
At the scene, officers came across a gray Ford truck submerged in the Russian River with a person inside, officials said.
The person was confirmed to be the missing 74-year-old by Sonoma County Sheriff deputies and Souza's family.
What we know
CHP officers said, according to their preliminary investigation, that Souza's truck veered off the roadway and into the river.
What we don't know
It's unclear when exactly the crash occurred, CHP officials said. Officials said they are still investigating the crash.
Anyone with information is asked to contact the CHP Santa Rosa office at (707) 806-5600.
The Source
CHP Silver Alert, CHP Santa Rosa
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