The body of Cateya Phipps, 38, of Creston was found Thursday in the Grand River near Decatur City in Decatur County.
According to area emergency services, the body was found a distance from a car crash. Iowa Department of Transportation employees found the wrecked vehicle on the bank of the river but did not find anyone who could have been in the vehicle. At 8:21 a.m. the Decatur County Sheriff’s Office was notified as was the Iowa State Patrol and other emergency services. All of those, including those who live in the area, began searching the river banks.
After about an hour, Phipps was found more than one-fourth of a mile from the car.
According to the Iowa State Patrol, on March 22, a 2015 Jeep Wrangler driven by Phipps was westbound on Highway 2 approaching the Grand River bridge. For unknown reasons the vehicle left the road and entered the ditch on the north. The vehicle continued until it struck a bridge guardrail. After impact, with the guardrail the vehicle rolled and came to rest on the left side. State patrol speculates the fatality was not directly related to the crash.