The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety is investigating after a body was pulled from the Kalamazoo River on Tuesday, reports say. The discovery was made near East Paterson Street and Riverview Drive, and at this time the identity of the deceased remains unknown. This incident occurred after a motorcyclist allegedly attempted to evade a traffic stop on January 1 and consequently disappeared into the river's icy clutches, as detailed by News Channel 3.
According to 13 ON YOUR SIDE, the last body found in the same waters in July 2021 was that of an experienced diver, Brian Trahey, which involved a large scale recovery operation with over 80 individuals participating from multiple agencies. Currently, the circumstances that led to the body ending up in the river this time, remains under thorough investigation by local authorities.
The January incident began when the motorcyclist, now suspected to be the individual recovered from the Kalamazoo River, fled from officers during a routine stop for a license plate violation. Following a chase, the man's motorcycle encountered mechanical issues and he proceeded to make a fleeting dash through Veteran's Memorial Park before leaping into the river, "We're going to need a squad, he's going to try to swim down the river, he's probably going to get hypothermic," declared an officer on bodycam footage obtained by News Channel 3.
In a follow-up report by WOODTV, the police did not see the man resurface after he submerged, resulting, in a long and uncertain wait until now. As it stands, the investigation is ongoing and further details will be provided to the public as they unfold. The Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety has not yet confirmed if the body is that of the missing motorcyclist or, if the January incident is directly connected to Tuesday's grim discovery.
