JANESVILLE — The Rock County Sheriff’s Office is investigating a vehicle found in the Rock River near Riverside Park in Janesville.

On July 3, 2023, a citizen reported to the Sheriff’s Office they believed they located a sunken vehicle in the Rock River. The reporting person provided an exact location and images from a side-scan sonar. The Sheriff’s Office deployed a boat and confirmed the location and obtained additional sidescan images.

Two days later, on July 5, the Rock County Sheriff’s Office Dive Team deployed into the river and were able to locate the vehicle in approximately 12 feet of water. Divers were able to connect tow straps and were assisted by Davis Towing in removing the vehicle from the river bottom. The Janesville Fire Department and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources also assisted during the investigation.

On July 6, detectives from the Rock County Sheriff’s Office were able to confirm the vehicle removed from the Rock River was reported stolen to their agency in August of 1993. Detectives have since been in contact with the owner of the stolen vehicle and the investigation is considered closed.