RAINBOW VALLEY, AZ — Officials say a body they believe to be of a missing man who was possibly swept away in floodwaters near Goodyear has been located.
The Maricopa County Sheriff's Office was first called to the area near 214th Avenue and Narramore Road around 3:30 a.m. Sunday for a report of someone attempting to cross the wash and being swept away by the floodwaters.
WATCH: MCSO provides update Monday morning on the search efforts
MCSO previously said that the truck that was washed away was located with no occupants.
See video from the search scene early Monday morning in the video player below:
A friend speaking on behalf of his wife tells ABC15, and MCSO has confirmed, that the man they were searching for is Vincent Upton.
“His family’s here. It’s rough on everybody," family friend Benjamin Santana said. "Right now, our concern is finding him. It’s pretty surreal.”
Shortly after 1 p.m. Monday, Good Samaritans, along with MCSO, located the body of a man. Officials say they believe it is Upton.
The location where he was found was a considerable distance from the found vehicle, according to officials.
“The windshield was kicked out, so he did get out of the vehicle," said Arbell Rose, who found Upton's vehicle in the wash.
“He is the life of the party, always making everyone laugh and joking. He is a force to be reckoned with, that’s for sure," said Jamie Williams, a friend of Upton. "He was wearing a white shirt and blue jeans when he went missing, so that’s what we are looking for. Hoping he is in a tree or with a broken leg, waiting to be rescued.”
MCSO confirmed the search for Upton continued Monday morning.
“In this area, there is only one way in and one way out of here, so people try to cross [Waterman Wash] to get home," Jimmy Williams, a friend of Upton, said. "When it rains and floods and your home is on this side or that side, you're stuck, can’t get out, can’t get to work, nothing, so obviously there needs to be some development here in the roads.”
