Ephrata man's body found after collision

Body swept up to two miles by waterway

EPHRATA - An Ephrata man died in a one-vehicle collision but his body was not found until at least a day after the collision.

The body of Matthew T. Horn, 41, was found by friends and family Sunday, Grant County Undersheriff John Turley said.

On Saturday evening a man called emergency dispatch about a one-vehicle rollover collision. The reporting party did not see the collision, Turley said. The reporting party advised he did not see anyone but could only see a wrecked truck, far from the roadway.

When a deputy arrived, the truck was cold to the touch. It is unclear when the collision happened but it was recent.

After analyzing evidence at the scene, deputies determined Horn appeared to be traveling at a high rate of speed in a 2005 Chevrolet K2 pickup, he said. The vehicle reportedly left the roadway eastbound on Road 5 Northwest, near Road G Northwest, near Ephrata.

It appears Horn attempted to correct the vehicle's direction of travel but wasn't successful. The vehicle reportedly struck a telephone pole and rolled several times, Turley said.

"Damage to the vehicle was severe," he said.

It appears Horn was not wearing a seat belt and was ejected through the driver's- side door at some point while the vehicle was rolling, Turley said.

Deputies and Grant County Fire District No. 3 personnel searched the area where the collision happened in an effort to locate Horn. He was not immediately found.

Deputies attempted to make contact with Horn at his residence but he was not there, he said.

The following day, family of Horn filed a missing person report on his behalf. Friends and family searched the area where the collision happened.

Horn's body was located one and a half to two miles from the collision impact point, Turley said. His body was found in a wastewater ditch.

It's believed his body was thrown from the vehicle into a rapidly moving waterway that is 3 to 4 feet deep and travels underground at one point, he said. It appears the waterway transported the body.

"Theoretically, that's probably what happened," he said. "He was swept away from that point."

The body was taken to the Grant County Coroner's Office for autopsy.