Overview
- Conservation officers located a submerged vehicle and the body of 48-year-old Michael Downey of Louisville after responding to reports of tire tracks into a private pond in Rising Sun on Saturday.
- Officers used sonar to find the car in about 10 feet of water and recovered Downey’s body near the vehicle during the mid-morning search.
- An autopsy completed Monday confirmed drowning as the cause of death.
- Multiple local agencies assisted the recovery, including the Indiana Department of Natural Resources conservation officers, the Switzerland County Sheriff’s Department, East Enterprise Fire Department, Switzerland County Emergency Response, and the coroner’s office.
- Authorities say the circumstances of how the vehicle entered the pond remain under investigation and routine next steps such as vehicle forensics, toxicology and witness interviews are expected as the probe continues.