Crews recover body of truck driver from Payette River crash

CASCADE (KIVI) — The driver of the Dodge Ram that crashed into the Payette River last Sunday has been located, authorities say.

On Sunday, June 7, the Valley County Sheriff’s Office posted to Facebook that the driver had been located and recovered from the Payette River. He was found 2 miles downstream from the crash site, authorities say.

As Idaho News 6 has previously reported, the crash happened on Sunday, May 31, on Highway 55, south of Cascade. A Dodge Ram pickup truck crossed into the northbound lane, hit another vehicle, and then left the roadway, crashing into the river.

Search crews have been combing the river since, looking for survivors.

RELATED | Crews recover body of truck driver from Payette River crash

On Monday, June 1, Idaho State Police released the identity of the driver, a 40-year-old man from Billings, Montana. Authorities have not yet released his name.

Idaho News 6 was there on Monday as crews searched the river. Senior Reporter Riley Shoemaker spoke with law enforcement on the scene regarding the challenges of this search & rescue.

“The swift current, high water levels, and challenging conditions have made this a complex response involving specialized rescue resources,” said Idaho State Police Trooper Richard Knapp on Monday.

The Valley County Sheriff’s Office says that the family of the victim has been notified and that crews with VCSO have cleared the area.

In a press release from Idaho State Police, they say that “based on evidence gathered during the investigation, investigators believe only one person was in the vehicle and that all individuals associated with the crash have been accounted for.”