Authorities believe body of 10th Arizona flash flood victim found
Jul 19, 2017, 6:30 PM | Updated: Jul 20, 2017, 11:40 am
A Navajo County rescuer uses her walking stick to sift through debris in Tonto National Forest, Ariz., on Monday, July 17, 2017. Rescuers continue the search for a missing 27-year-old man, who was swept downriver with more than a dozen others when floodwaters inundated the area on Saturday. (Ap Photo/Angie Wang)
(Ap Photo/Angie Wang)
PHOENIX — Authorities believe the body of Hector Garnica, the 10th victim of a flash flood that swept through an Arizona swimming hole over the weekend, has been found.
“A deceased individual has been located just below the confluence of Shoo Fly Creek and the East Verde River,” Gila County Sheriff J. Adam Shepard said in a statement.
“Although we believe it to be the tenth victim, the identity has not been confirmed. We are attempting to make positive identification through DNA.”
Shepard said more information would be released as the investigation continues.
“We are actively working to help bring closure to this incident and for this family as they begin to heal,” Shepard said.
Garnica was last seen Saturday, when a flash flood overran the Cold Springs swimming hole in the Tonto National Forest near Payson on Saturday evening.
The search for Garnia was called off at least twice because of weather in the area.
“Safety is our No. 1 priority here,” Tiffany Davila, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Department of Forestry and Fire Management, said of the decision to halt the search. “We want to make sure our search and rescue personnel are safe and out of harm’s way.”
Nine people — all of which were family members or family friends of Garnica — were killed in the flash flood.
Four others were rescued from the flood.
KTAR’s Jim Cross contributed to this report.
