Victim from Franklin County canal identified

The man who was found in a Franklin County canal Monday morning has been identified as Donaciano Flores-Figueroa, 56, from Pasco.

Detectives with the Franklin County Sheriff's Office say a farmer discovered Flores-Figueroa's body in the canal, then realized there was a car fully-submerged in the water.

Captain Rich Rochleau with the Sheriff's Office says Flores-Figueroa likely didn't realize the canal was there.

"It appears the vehicle was traveling westbound on a field road and crossed a road that runs along the ditch bank, a ditch bank access road, and went into the irrigation canal," said Rochleau.

The unimproved road did not have street lights or stop signs that might have helped the victim avoid the canal.

Coroner Dan Blasdel says it appears that the car went into the water sometime after midnight Monday morning, and that Flores-Figueroa drowned before he could get out of the canal.

No autopsy will be performed, but toxicology tests will help to determine whether drugs or alcohol contributed to the death.