NORTH COVENTRY >> A vehicle belonging to a missing Lower Pottsgrove man was recovered with a body inside from the Schuylkill River early Tuesday afternoon.
Police were called to South Penn Street and Schuylkill Avenue at around 12:20 p.m. after a passerby reported that there was a vehicle in the water just behind the Pottstown Quoit Club.
“We had a passerby observe the roof of a vehicle in the Schuylkill River,” said North Coventry Police Chief Robert Schurr. “The fire company and North Coventry Police were dispatched. We came out and confirmed that it was in fact a vehicle in the river and we coordinated with Lower Pottsgrove Police Department because we know that they have a missing person driving a white Buick.”
Authorities sent one diver in the water to check the vehicle before the Phoenixville Dive Team and Sanatoga Auto Body arrived on scene.
After about an hour, the Phoenixville Dive Team arrived with tow trucks to begin pulling the vehicle out. Once out of the water, the white Buick was covered with several pieces of tarp.
Schurr said they had no idea how long the vehicle had been in the river.
Lower Pottsgrove Police were able to confirm that the vehicle belonged to missing man Harold P. Leister, posting on their Facebook page at around 2:50 p.m.:
“As of approximately 12:30 PM today North Coventry PD located what we believe to be Mr. Leisters car in the Schuylkill River. We are working with their agency on this development.”
According to officials, a body was found inside the car, but they could not confirm it was Leister.
“We can say there is a body in the vehicle but we can’t confirm that it’s the missing person,” said Schurr.
Schurr said that North Coventry Police will be working with the Chester County Coroner and Lower Pottsgrove Police on identifying the person. They plan on issuing a release when the identity is confirmed.
Leister, 93, of West Woodland Drive, went missing from his home and was last seen on Feb. 4 at 7 a.m. Leister’s vehicle, a white 2011 Buick Lucerne with Pennsylvania tags, was also missing from his home.
According to police, Leister had no known medical conditions but investigation revealed that he had fallen and struck his head on Feb. 3, suffering a significant head injury. Leister was checked by a neighbor, but refused medical attention, police said.
At the scene along with North Coventry Police and Lower Pottsgrove Police were the Phoenixville Dive Rescue Team, Linfield Fire Company, West Pottsgrove Police and North Coventry Fire Department.
