chost@observer-reporter.com

DILLINER - A Greensboro man who was reported missing Monday was found dead Tuesday in his car that was submerged in Dunkard Creek.

Police do not know when Robert B. Cumpston Jr., 36, crashed into the water but his car was discovered at 10 a.m. Tuesday. His family had been looking for him and he was last seen Sunday night. They reported him missing to state police Monday afternoon.

Cumpston apparently was driving north on Route 88 from Point Marion when he missed a sharp turn just before the Dilliner Convenience Store, police said. He drove through a grassy area, over an embankment and into Dunkard Creek, near the point where the creek flows into the Monongahela River.

According to information gathered at the scene, an individual saw a part of a car in the water after noticing tire tracks leading from Route 88 to the creek.

Cumpston's 2002 Pontiac Sunfire was completely submerged.

Greene County Coroner Greg Rohanna pronounced him dead just after noon. He will determine a cause of death after an autopsy is performed, but at this point Rohanna believes Cumpston drowned. He said there is no evidence of foul play and that the crash seems to have been an accident.

Dive teams from Point Marion and Rices Landing fire departments worked at the scene along with firefighters from Bobtown and Nemacolin.

On May 9, 2004, two Greene County men died under the same circumstances when their car ran off the road on the curve and down a hill into the creek.

Almost 20 years ago, Dec. 14, 1988, a quadruple fatal accident occurred at the point. Four people from Mt. Morris died when their car left the road, crashed into the railroad bridge and dropped into the creek below.

Part of the turn has no guardrail because of a driveway that is nearby.

Cumpston apparently drove on that driveway before his vehicle went over an embankment and into the water.

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