Authorities identify man who drowned in Cedar River

CEDAR RAPIDS – The man who drowned Saturday in the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids has been officially identified as Silverio Matias-Perez, officials said.

Perez, 28, was attempting to wade across the river, from the east side to the west, around 7 p.m. Saturday about one-half mile downstream from the roller dam along Old River Road SW, authorities said. Witnesses reported Perez went under the water about 20 yards from the shoreline and did not re-emerge.

After firefighters and dive teams spent about 18 hours searching the murky water, Perez's body was found around 11:20 a.m. Tuesday, about 250 yards downstream from where he was last seen.

Linn County Medical Examiner Don Linder said family members identified Perez after his body was pulled from the river Tuesday morning.

Authorities said the water is relatively shallow along the shoreline, but pockets exist with depths of 12 to 15 feet closer to the middle of the river.

Linder said Perez's body was sent to the state medical examiner's office in Ankeny for analysis. The cause and manner of his death has not been released.

According to the Des Moines funeral home handling the arrangements, Perez was originally from Mexico and was staying in the Cedar Rapids area.

Perez is the first drowning victim in the Cedar River in Cedar Rapids since July 2009 when a 30-year-old man was killed after he fell off a jet ski and was swept over the dam.