Arizona man found dead days after car was washed away in flash flooding

PHOENIX – On Thursday, search crews found the body of a 74-year-old Arizona man whose car was swept away in flash flooding caused by rain two days earlier, authorities announced.

David Otero was seen driving into a flooded Big Bug Creek crossing near Fremont Drive and Thunderbird Trail in Cordes Lakes around 3 p.m. Tuesday, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff’s Office (YCSO).

After two days of searches involving more than 80 volunteer search and rescue personnel, the sheriff’s office said that Otero’s body was found about 6 miles downstream, near the area where Big Bug Creek meets the Agua Fria River.

What happened to car swept away by flash flooding?

On Tuesday, deputies found the car with two men on or near the trunk area while it was being carried away.

As the car was starting to turn over, a deputy stepped into the water and pulled one of the men to safety.

The driver, Otero, remained with the vehicle as it was swept further downstream.

The rescued man said he tried to help the driver after the car entered the floodwaters.

The car was eventually found lodged against a tree about 2 miles from where it tried to cross the flooded creek.

Cordes Lakes is located off Interstate 17, about 66 miles north of downtown Phoenix.

Storms impacted a large portion of central and northern Arizona on Tuesday and Wednesday.

The rain was heavy enough in Wickenburg to cause flash flooding that trapped two vehicles on Tuesday. The four occupants were all rescued without injuries.

This is an updated version of a story originally published Nov. 19, 2025. 

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