Second body identified in Calumet River near site of Far South Side crash

Chicago police divers on Friday found the body of a second man near where a vehicle plunged into the Calumet River’s waters Sunday morning on the Far South Side.

The man was identified as Demetrius Hendricks, 26, of the North Austin neighborhood, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.

Chicago Police Department Marine Unit divers found his body about 11:15 a.m. near Sunset Marina, 13601 S. Calhoun, according to a statement from police.

About 3:30 a.m. on Sunday, a “wet and confused” 26-year-old man was found walking on Torrence Avenue, police said. Hours after he was taken to Trinity Hospital in an unknown condition, the man told investigators he was a passenger in a vehicle that crashed into the Calumet River.

Surveillance footage confirmed the vehicle went into the river in the 13600 block of South Calhoun, police said. The man told investigators he thought his two friends — Hendricks and 23-year-old Devontae Searcy — were still in the submerged vehicle.

On Sunday afternoon, the vehicle was found unoccupied in the river, police said. Chicago Police Department Marine Unit boats and divers have searched the river since then with assistance from the U.S. Coast Guard, which joined the search on Monday.

Searcy’s body was recovered at 10:25 a.m. Wednesday in the river near the 13600 block of South Calhoun, close to where the crash occurred, according to police and the medical examiner’s office.

An autopsy Thursday did not immediately rule on the cause and manner of Searcy’s death pending further investigation, authorities said. He lived in the Galewood neighborhood on the North Side.

Hendricks’ autopsy was scheduled for Saturday, the medical examiner’s office said.