Man's body pulled from Matanuska River

A tow truck pulled a vehicle containing the body of a 22-year-old man from the gray waters of the Matanuska River on Sunday morning in Palmer.

Police say Zachary T. Terry, a 22-year-old from Palmer, likely intentionally drove his Subaru off an 80-foot-high bluff on Saturday and into the rushing waters below Sherrod Elementary School. The car was pulled from the river at around 9:45 a.m. Sunday.

"Based on witness statements and other evidence found in the course of the investigation it appears to be a suicide, but the investigation is still ongoing," Ketterling wrote in an email.

Ketterling said the vehicle was located using sonar and pulled from the river after Alaska State Troopers used a boat to attached a cable to the car. It had come to rest about eight feet below the surface after a witness reported seeing Terry launch himself into the water shortly before 11 a.m. Saturday. The location where the incident occurred is a few hundred yards down a grassy, off-road trail near Gulkana Street, a quiet residential thoroughfare on the outskirts of town that passes two elementary schools and a couple dozen single-family homes.

On Sunday, the edge of bluff above the river -- which is about 100 yards behind the school's playground -- was marred by a twin set of what appeared to be vehicle tracks. The ground was heavily disturbed, evidence of the effort it took to winch the car back up the steep slope.

The area is frequently used by sightseers for its spectacular views of the wide, braided glacial river.

Ketterling said the recovery -- which began Saturday afternoon -- was a difficult one that included help from local businesses and several public safety agencies.

"The Palmer Police would like to thank the Alaska State Troopers, the Mat Su Borough, Matanuska Towing and Recovery, and TerraSond for their valuable assistance in the recovery efforts. Our thoughts are with the family and friends of Mr. Terry in this difficult time," he wrote.

Ketterling said no foul play is suspected and police won't known whether drugs or alcohol played a role in the suicide until the state medical examiner investigates further.

Crews were first called to the scene just as hundreds of people lined the streets of nearby downtown Palmer for the city's annual Alaska State Fair parade, which was not disrupted by the incident. Authorities initially launched a rescue boat from just below the Matanuska River Bridge across the Old Glenn Highway. By around 1 p.m., they switched the focus of their efforts from rescue to recovery.

Some pieces from the front of the Subaru Terry drove into the river were recovered Sunday afternoon, and shortly after Fire Chief John McNutt said crews using long poles to probe the river had discovered the likely resting place of the car. The exact location was confirmed using sonar, Ketterling said.

This is a developing story; check back for updates.