Emergency crews removed a car from Clear Creek in Wheat Ridge this afternoon after a witness reported seeing the car, with an elderly man driving, back into into the fast-flowing water.
Shortly after 9 a.m., firefighters received a call about a car in the creek near 11300 W. 44th Ave., said Scott Pribble, spokesman for the Arvada Fire Department.
The body of an unidentified elderly man was discovered inside the car, Pribble said.
“This is a recovery, not a rescue and we are taking every precaution possible,” Pribble said.
Submerged up to its windshield, the car was facing upstream as it continued to swerve in the strong current. It took crews almost 3 hours to remove the body, and stabilize and remove the car from the creek, Pribble said.
A witness reported seeing the car back into the creek this morning. The car entered the creek from the parking lot at Prospect Park and floated downstream for almost a quarter of a mile.
Officials do not know what caused the car to back into the creek, Pribble said.
West Metro Fire Protection District also sent a dive team to the scene, according to their Twitter account.
Jordan Steffen: 303-954-1794 or jsteffen@denverpost.com
