A potential fatality as a result of the severe storms that tore through parts of Greeley earlier this week is being investigated, city police said Friday.
A Greeley Police Department news release said a man was found dead Wednesday morning in the backyard of a home in the 800 block of 24th Street.
The release said it’s unknown if the man’s death was the result of the storms that produced flooding in several locations in the city, including in the area of the home.
The Weld County coroner will perform an autopsy to determine the cause of death. The man’s identity is being withheld pending notification of relatives.
Police said they have no reason to suspect foul play in the death, and the homeowner is cooperating with the investigation. Police ask anyone with information on the death who has not spoken with officers to contact the police department at (970) 350-9605.
A city of Greeley spokesperson on Wednesday evening confirmed one death and one injury as a result of the storm that also brought heavy rain, wind and hail. The city provided no additional information on the death or the injury.
The National Weather Service in Boulder said the northeast portion of the city, located near downtown, was hardest hit by the storm with nearly 4 inches of rain. The west side of Greeley received 1-2 inches. Greeley also saw 2-inch hail, which is slightly bigger than a golf ball.
Greeley Mayor John Gates signed a local disaster declaration allowing the city to work with other jurisdictions in recovery, and the declaration might also allow the city to be eligible for state and federal assistance programs, the city said Friday.
The declaration will go to the city council Tuesday to continue the disaster declaration by resolution.
The city estimated total damages to be more than $1.45 million in the early stages of evaluations.
“It is important to our efforts that businesses and individuals continue to report so the City of Greeley and Weld County can understand the full impact of the storm,” the city said on its website.
Storm damage may be reported to Weld County at report-co-weld.orioncentral.com. The form helps the county track and review the storm’s impact and is not a report for insurance or immediate response purposes.
