Dead man found in car underwater at Discovery Park. Vehicle linked to missing person in Reno

The Sacramento County Regional Park Department is investigating after a dead man was found in a vehicle — linked to a missing person from Reno — submerged underwater at the Discovery Park boat launch.

The startling find came to light after a person navigating a houseboat last week bumped into an obstruction in the river and damaged the vessel, said Ken Casparis, a spokesman for the county.

County park rangers were called to the area by the houseboat owner and began working with the Sacramento Police Department to dive underwater to recover the object.

On Sunday, divers recovered the vehicle and found a man inside. The man has not been identified by the Sacramento County Coroner’s Office, which is expected to release the identify pending next-of-kin notification.

It’s unclear how long the vehicle has been inside the water. The incident was still under investigation, Casparis said.

The houseboat caught on fire days after it hit the underwater vehicle, but that incident was unrelated to the damage it suffered after striking the submerged vehicle, Casparis said.