Body of man missing since Saturday’s flooding found in river

A man’s body has been recovered from the Driftwood River after last week’s flooding.

According to Bartholomew County authorities, the body of a man was recovered from the river by the county water rescue team at about 3:20 p.m. Thursday afternoon near the Lowell fishing site, which is at the intersection of County Road 325W and Lowell Road.

The man has been identified as 62-year-old Darrell Voelz of Columbus according to the Bartholomew County coroner’s office. Deputies say that friends of Voelz evacuated from cabins in the area of the 5000 block of North 250W on Saturday due to the flooding, but Voelz opted to stay behind and hadn’t been seen since.

Authorities have been searching for Voelz since his disappearance was first reported on Saturday. In the midst of the river flooding, the water rescue team searched the area where Voelz primitive riverside cabin was reportedly located, the surrounding area and checked area residences on Saturday but could not find him.

On Wednesday, his friends reported again that he had not been seen and deputies went back to search the area. After the floodwaters retreated, they the site of the cabin, which appeared to have burned to the ground before the floodwaters overran the area.

An autopsy has been scheduled and the death investigation continues.

Photo: The flooded area on Driftwood River where a makeshift cabin had been located. Photo courtesy of Bartholomew County Sheriff’s Department.