Edited release
05/09/22
Cedar Rapids search and recovery teams are continuing their search for the missing driver of a City fleet vehicle found submerged in the Cedar River on Saturday. Search and recovery teams used sonar-equipped boats and drag lines to search the area between the immediate vicinity and downstream from the incident site.
The missing person was identified as 54-year-old Erik Spaw of Cedar Rapids, a Water Division employee. Spaw was working an evening shift at the Northwest Water Treatment Plant on Friday.
Early Saturday morning, Cedar Rapids Water division staff reported Spaw had not returned to the J Avenue Water Treatment Plant after working most of his shift at the Northwest plant. The employee’s personal vehicle was found in the parking lot at the J Avenue plant. The Cedar Rapids Utilities and Fleet Departments determined the last known location of Spaw’s assigned City fleet vehicle was near Ellis Road NW.
Dive and recovery teams recovered the identified City fleet vehicle from the river at approximately 3:30 p.m. Saturday. There was no occupant in the vehicle when it was brought up from the river. Authorities immediately began redeploying resources to conduct search and recovery operations for Spaw. More information will be released as it becomes available.
Roy Hesemann is the utilities director for the City. In a statement, he said that Spaw was a valued employee who gave many years of service to the City. City Manager Jeff Pomeranz said that employees will need time to process the tragic incident, and that mental health resources will be available to support their needs in the days ahead.