Man With Disabilities Found Dead in Arizona River After Monsoon Flooding

A person who went missing during flooding in Arizona on Friday was found dead over the weekend, serving as a reminder of the dangers of monsoonal storms. Read on for the details.

Surge in Water Levels Blamed on Death of Arizona Man

The body of 29-year-old Ernesto Ojeda was found on Saturday, just one day after his family reported him missing following a monsoonal flood event. Law enforcement officials in Pima County, Arizona, said that they responded to calls of a man who was swept down the Julian Wash in Tucson on Friday.

The Pima County Sheriff's Department confirmed that their search and rescue team members responded to the call near the Santa Cruz River at about 1 pm on Friday, July 17. The incident happened near the interchange of Interstate 10 and Interstate 19.

Search and rescue crews canvassed the area near the Julian Wash and Santa Cruz River for several hours on Friday.  The joint effort included crews from the Tucson Fire Department, the Tucson Police Department, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety, searching on land and by air. The search was suspended later in the evening after attempts to locate the man were unsuccessful.  

A separate search was launched later that night after Ojeda's family reported him missing. Family members told law enforcement officials that they had been concerned for his safety after he did not return after being in the wash earlier in the day. Ojeda's family was particularly concerned due to his developmental disabilities and low cognitive abilities.

A surge of monsoonal moisture caused water levels in the Julian Wash to surge. Crews were able to recover Ojeda's body on Saturday when the search resumed.

The Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner will investigate the cause of death. Until then, no additional information has been made available to the public.

The tragedy serves as a grave reminder of the dangers of the North American monsoon season. This annual influx of tropical moisture impacts the Desert Southwest and parts of the Four Corners region beginning in July and lasting into the early fall months. A change in the wind patterns this time of the year works to bring up regular bands of moisture from the Pacific, often resulting in periods of heavy rain, thunderstorms, and flash flooding events.