Body Believed to be Missing Driver in Yaquina River Recovered

(Newport) - Oregon State Police troopers recovered a body Tuesday afternoon tentatively identified as a Newport man missing since January 11th after the vehicle he was driving was witnessed going into the Yaquina River off Highway 20 east of Newport.

Around 3:30 PM February 14, fisherman reported finding a body in the Yaquina River. OSP troopers responded in a boat and recovered the body which has been tentatively identified as 22-year old Ricardo Reyes Rodriguez of Newport.

Reyes-Rodriguez was believed to be the operator of a green 1999 Dodge Stratus four-door that was witnessed losing control and going into the Yaquina River off Highway 20 about 18 miles east of Newport. The missing vehicle was recovered January 14th. The body was recovered about three miles down river from where the vehicle was witnessed going into the river.

Oregon State Police were assisted in the recovery by the Toledo Fire Department.