UPDATE 9/18 8:30 A.M.:
The body of a missing Hurricane man has been located. Ryan Daniel Mertlich had been missing since Monday. According to authorities, Mertlich left the home of a family member in Washington City, but never returned home to Hurricane. Reports from the family to authorities were that Mertlich liked to drive through the Warner Valley area to return home to Hurricane. The vehicle he was driving was found heavily damaged Wednesday in an area on the Arizona Strip. Mertlich’s body was located at 5:13 pm in the area of the Ft. Pierce Wash in Warner Valley by Search and Rescue teams from Washington County and searchers from Sanpete County and Sevier County. The SAR teams had been searching for the final victim in the Zion National Park flood tragedy that ended on Thursday. Authorities believe that Mertlich may also have been caught up in the Flash Flooding that occurred on Monday.
ORIGINAL STORY:
Law Enforcement Officials in Washington County and Mohave County are requesting the public’s assistance in locating a missing person from Hurricane, Ut.
Mohave County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue Units have been assisting the Colorado City authorities since Monday evening, Sept. 14, with the Hildale and Colorado City flooding. Late Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 16, Mohave County Search and Rescue Units were assigned an additional incident regarding a missing person out of Hurricane.
Tuesday evening, Sept. 15, relatives reported 33-year-old Ryan Daniel Mertlich missing to the Hurricane Police Department. Mertlich was last seen Monday evening en route to his residence after leaving a relative’s home in Washington City. He was driving a 1995 camouflaged Geo Tracker. Mertlich is known to drive the back roads between St. George and Hurricane. Wednesday afternoon, Sept. 16, the Washington County Sheriff’s Office and the Hurricane Police Department located Mertlich’s vehicle on the Arizona Strip in Mohave County Arizona.
Late Wednesday afternoon, the Mohave County Search and Rescue Units were assigned as the lead agency regarding the continuing search for Mertlich. Wednesday evening, Sept. 16, Search and Rescue members responded to the scene, approximately three miles south of the Utah border and 15 miles west of Colorado City. Mertlich’s vehicle was located in a flood plain, heavily damaged. A ground search for Mertlich continues today along with an aerial search with the assistance of Kingman Ranger, Department of Public Safety.
Ryan Daniel Mertlich is described as 6 feet tall and weighing 210 pounds with a stocky build. His eye color is hazel and hair color is sandy blonde. He is a Caucasian male. The Utah license plate number of his camouflaged 1995 Geo Tracker is X73 1JC.
Anyone with information regarding his whereabouts of Ryan Daniel Mertlich is asked to call the Mohave County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 753-0755.
