SANDY — A Unified Police Department search and rescue team recovered the body of man from Little Cottonwood Creek on Sunday morning.
Two hikers saw the man, in his 30s or 40s, floating in the creek. The man, identified by police as John Thorpe, appeared to be unconscious and caught on debris, said Unified police officer Jared Richardson.
One of the hikers stayed with Thorpe while the other went down the creek in case the man was swept downstream. A short while later, the second hiker flagged down a bicyclist, who rode down the canyon to call police shortly after 9 a.m.
The hiker then accompanied a UPD officer to Thorpe's location, Richardson said. The river's current was swift so he summoned a search and rescue team, he said. The team quickly determined that Thorpe had died. His shirtless body was removed from the water shortly before 11 a.m., Richardson said.
Police said Thorpe was riding a motorcycle down the canyon and crashed, ending up in the creek.
Thorpe's body was transported to the Utah Medical Examiner's Office to determine the cause of his death.
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