Police: missing 77-year-old died in crash

WASHINGTON - The Washington Police Department has ended its search for 77-year-old Washington resident Wayne Zieser, saying he died in a single-vehicle accident headed north on I-380, riding the motorcycle he left town with on July 12.

A July 13 Facebook post from the department asking for help finding the man was shared over 2,000 times before Friday’s announcement.

“The Washington Police Department offers our condolences to the family and friends of Wayne Zieser and our thanks to the many community members who assisted and provided information during this investigation,” Police Chief Jim Lester said in a statement.

Zeiser was reported missing after leaving his house on a maroon 2007 Harley Davidson motorcycle, headed to Hiawatha July 12. He had left his cell phone behind, something a family member said was “not normal behavior,” according to a city Call For Service log.

Washington police said they were contacted about the I-380 crash by the Linn County law enforcement in the early afternoon of July 14. The accident happened near mile marker 32, south of Center Point, and “remains under investigation by the Linn County Sheriff’s Office,” according to police.

A Linn County Call For Service Report said Zieser’s bike was found in a creek bed with the body nearby around noon Friday, but did not state an approximate time of the crash.

The Washington Police Department said it would not release further information on the case.

This article was updated at 3:07 p.m. with word of Zieser’s death, and 4:14 p.m. with information from the Linn County Call For Service Report.

Comments: Kalen.McCain@southeastiowaunion.com