Missing man drowned in Scottsdale floodwaters, officials confirm

Man killed by floodwaters in Scottsdale was pinned under car, police say

The missing man who was found submerged in floodwaters in Scottsdale over the weekend was found pinned underneath this car, according to police.

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. - A missing man was found dead, submerged in floodwaters, after police said he was driving and got caught in the flash flood on Sept. 26.

What we know:

The Medical Examiner's Office ruled that the driver died from drowning. The manner of his death was deemed an accident.

On Sept. 29, towing crews hoisted a silver vehicle that had been wedged onto a park walkway bridge. The sight stunned neighbors walking on the muddy paths.

"I have never seen anything like this," said neighbor Ilena.

"It is pretty crazy," another neighbor, Steven, said.

The backstory:

It started with a call to Scottsdale police on Sept. 26. During the flash flood storm, a vehicle was spotted submerged in water near 77th Street and Garfield.

When officers arrived, they located the car at nearby Vista Del Camino Park, fully engulfed under 8 to 9 feet of moving water, with only the trunk peering out. Officers said it appeared unoccupied and did not notice any signs of life.

Using the license plate number, police couldn’t get ahold of the car’s registered owner: 38-year-old Ander Pallares Polanco. His family said they last heard from him earlier that evening, when he was out delivering food. A missing person's report was filed and an alert was sent.

Hours later, the floodwaters subsided. That’s when officers confirmed the worst. A body, identified as Polanco, was found pinned beneath the park’s walkway bridge outside his car.

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PREVIOUS COVERAGE: Missing man found dead, submerged in floodwaters in Scottsdale

A body was recovered after a vehicle was found submerged in up to nine feet of flash floodwater in Scottsdale.

What they're saying:

"That’s terrible... no words," one person said.

John Baker, who has lived in the area for years, said the area is prone to flash flood disasters. 

"They always try to jump that ditch right there and they go floating down. Every storm, just about," Baker said.

Capt. Dave Folio of Scottsdale Fire warns of the dangers of driving on the roads during severe flooding. 

"This will definitely sweep a car," Folio said. "You’re six feet underwater."

Ilena, who was also out that evening, is still shaken. 

"We turned around and walked back because I was like, this isn’t safe. And I am shocked. I’m shocked. I’m shocked," she said.

Dig deeper:

Uber released a statement to FOX 10 about the incident, saying, "We're deeply saddened by this tragedy. Our thoughts are with the driver’s family during this extremely difficult time."

First responders are unsure how his car was swept into this area but stressed that people should follow emergency alerts and signs when these weather events happen.

Map of the incident location.