Body found along country road east of Modesto victim of hit-and-run

A man whose body was discovered along Wellsford Road east of Modesto on Wednesday was the victim of a hit-and-run collision, according to the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department.

Due to the condition of the man’s body, he could not be identified following an autopsy Thursday morning but he is believed to be in his 60s, said California Highway Patrol Officer Chuck Leon. Dental records or DNA will likely be needed to make that identification.

The body was found on the east side of Wellsford, north of Parker Road, by a County Public Works employee who was on a tractor that is used to cut the grass along the shoulder.

Authorities could not say how long the man’s body had been there, but it was more than a day, said Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Sgt. Anthony Bejaran said.

The California Highway Patrol took over the investigation from the Sheriff’s Department after an autopsy showed trauma to the man’s body consistent with a traffic accident, Leon said.

He said there were tire friction marks near the body but it is unknown if they are related. The man was wearing a blue and green jacket and black basketball shorts.

Anyone who might have seen a man matching that description in the are of Wellsford, Parker, Garst Road or Church Street in the past three weeks is asked to call Leon or Officer Aaron Norseen at (209) 545-7440.

This story was originally published April 13, 2017 at 1:01 PM with the headline "Body found along country road east of Modesto victim of hit-and-run."