Missing person found dead in Arizona river amid rising water levels due to flooding
The tragedy happens as the Southwest's monsoon season kicks off.
FILE: Monsoon season is underway in Arizona, bringing the risk of dust storms and flash flooding
University of Arizona Professor of Practice in Hydrology and Atmospheric Sciences Eyad Atallah joins FOX Weather to discuss this year's monsoon season.
TUCSON, Arizona — A person who went missing after being swept away in a rising river was found dead in Arizona over the weekend.
The Pima County Sheriff's Department said their search and rescue team responded to the Santa Cruz River near the I-10 and I-19 interchange around 1 p.m. Friday.
PAGE, ARIZONA - AUGUST 22: Dark skies prevail as monsoon storms continue over Glen Canyon National Recreation Area on August 22, 2024 near Page, Arizona.
(David McNew / Getty Images)
Deputies said they received reports of a man being swept down the Julian Wash. Search crews spent several hours canvassing several areas along the Julian Wash and Santa Cruz River, but were unsuccessful.
The search was later suspended after not being able to locate the man. The Tucson Fire Department and police department helped with the search, and the Arizona Department of Public Safety helped search by air.
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Authorities said a separate search began later in the evening after the man's family reported him missing.
Aerial view of downtown Tucson Arizona skyline with high rise buildings
(Viyaleta Herasimovich)
His family told officials that the man had been in the wash earlier in the day and were concerned for his safety.
Storm activity later in the day caused water levels in the Julian Wash to rise, according to the sheriff's department.
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The man's family told deputies that he had developmental disabilities and low cognitive ability.
Monsoon rains wet the desert in in Kayenta, Arizona on Sept. 2, 2025.
(Robert Ray / FOX Weather)
Search efforts resumed on Saturday, and crews were ultimately able to recover the body of 29-year-old Ernesto Ojeda.
The tragedy happens as the Southwest's monsoon season kicks off.
A monsoon is a seasonal reversal of prevailing winds driven by the temperature contrast between land and ocean, pumping vast amounts of moisture into a region.
The Pima County Office of the Medical Examiner will determine the cause and manner of death. No additional information was immediately available.