A submerged pickup truck pulled from the water near 4518 Mortensen Road in Ames on Sunday held the body of a 77-year-old local man, authorities said. Ames police identified him Monday as Zondai Muyengwa, of Ames, after a dive team recovery effort that drew in multiple local agencies.
According to KCCI, officers were called around 12:30 p.m. Sunday to the area near 4518 Mortensen Road, where witnesses and officers found the truck in the water. The Iowa State Daily, however, reported police responded to a report of a vehicle in the water around 12:28 p.m. that same day, a discrepancy that remains unresolved between the two accounts.
Per Ames police, responding officers and witnesses found someone inside the truck before it sank completely. The vehicle, a 2021 Nissan Titan, eventually became fully submerged with Muyengwa still inside, according to Radio Iowa.
Dive Team Recovers Body and Truck
The Story County Sheriff's Office Dive Team recovered both Muyengwa's body and his truck from the water near Mortensen Road on Sunday, the same report from Radio Iowa states. The Ames Fire Department and Mary Greeley Medical Center also assisted with the recovery effort, KCCI's reporting notes.
Ames police said they continue to investigate the circumstances surrounding Sunday's incident, per the Radio Iowa account. No further details about what led to the truck entering the water have been released.
Police Seek Information From Public
Anyone with information about the incident is asked to call Ames police at 515-239-5133, according to KCCI's report. Tips can also be submitted anonymously to Crime Stoppers of Central Iowa at 515-223-1400.
