The Missouri Highway Patrol will return with a dive team to search the Missouri River for a car.
Parkville police confirmed they were working a water rescue at English Landing Park Wednesday morning.
According to Parkville Police Chief Keven Chrisman, an officer was patrolling the area around 2:15 a.m. when he thought he saw a car about 20 feet from the north bank of the Missouri River.
The car crossed the railroad tracks near Main Street and East Street.
Parkville #police chief says they believe they have car in water. Not sure if person was in it. Went fast into Mo River @41actionnews pic.twitter.com/kkQ0uQqniy
— Belinda Post (@Belinda_Post) May 17, 2017
The officer said he did not see headlights or taillights on. The car went down a boatramp and into the water.
"At least we were here, saw what appears to be a car," said Chief Chrisman. "I can only imagine, had we not been here and we wait for missing persons report or car report to come out."
Officers used sonar to determine if it was a car in the water. A second sonar confirmed the object appears to be a car, but officials won't know for certain until the dive team comes Thursday or Friday.
The park reopened around 8:30 a.m.
This isn’t the first time a car has been reported in the Missouri River.
According to the Missouri Highway Patrol, the river can be considered a “dumping ground” for stolen cars.
Earlier this year authorities pulled two cars from the Missouri River, one of which belonged to missing UMKC student Toni Anderson. At the time, Anderson’s family told 41 Action News they believed she got lost, tried to turn around in the dark and accidentally slid down the boat ramp.
"I would like to see a barrier put up or a chain to let people know it doesn’t go further. You can’t go to Kansas this way unless you want to swim,” said Mary Niesen, who lives by the river and walks around the park everyday.
