JASPER CO.— Jasper County authorities say that a Ste. Marie man was found drowned in floodwaters following a Thursday afternoon accident.
Jasper County Sheriff Rick Britton said authorities were notified at approximately 4:28 p.m. Thursday (Jan. 7, 2016) after passersby stopped at County Roads 050 North and 2050 East in the Rafetown Bridge area, near the Richland County line, to investigate what appeared to be a rim and wheel from an ATV sticking up out of flood waters.
When the unnamed individuals checked it out, they discovered an overturned ATV and rolled it back over.
Frank C. Miller, 70, of Ste. Marie, was found deceased inside the ATV.
It was the hard shell the vehicle had attached to it that Sheriff Britton said quite possibly made it difficult for Miller to get out of the ATV and escape the flood waters.
Sheriff Britton confirmed that Britton had been alone on the vehicle.
Jasper County Coroner Jason Meyer pronounced Miller dead at the scene at approximately 5 p.m.