Search continues for missing Wall Lake truck driver

“He works and he comes home, and that’s it,” Schultz said by phone Friday afternoon of the 53-year-old Wall Lake man, who went missing earlier this week under mysterious circumstances. “This is suspicious. Something’s wrong. This is not something David would do. He would never leave. His family is his life.”

David Schultz was last heard from in the early morning hours of Tuesday, according to the Lake View Police Department. The department and the Sac County Sheriff’s Office began an investigation into Schultz’s whereabouts Tuesday afternoon. Several law enforcement agencies, local fire departments and volunteers conducted a search for Schultz on Wednesday, the sheriff’s office said in a statement. 

Sarah Schultz last saw her husband at about 7:30 p.m. Monday. She said David, who hauls livestock for a living, had been working all day and asked her to grab him a change of clothes. 

“He had to do another Seaboard load from Eagle Grove to Sac City,” she said. “He just washed up and changed and gave me a kiss and ran out the door. He’s always in a hurry.” 

Schultz said David was eager to get his work done and come back home, since her daughter and grandson were visiting from Fort Lauderdale, Florida. However, on Tuesday morning, Schultz found the man whom David hauls livestock for on her doorstep. David was supposed to transport a load of baby pigs from Eagle Grove to Sac City, but they never arrived.

“He said, ‘Have you spoken to Dave?'” Schultz recalled. “I said, ‘No.’ He said, ‘No one can get ahold of him and the pigs haven’t been dropped off yet.'”

Schultz repeatedly called her husband’s cell phone every few minutes, but those calls went to his voicemail. She said her husband is an owner-operator, meaning he owns his truck and rents the trailer. 

“His family is his life. Hauling livestock is his life,” she said. 

Tuesday afternoon, David’s truck was found northeast of Sac City, parked on northbound Highway 71, about five miles north of the old Highway 20 intersection. Schultz said the vehicle was turned off, but it wasn’t pulled over to the side of the road. The trailer was still loaded with baby pigs. 

“My husband would never do that,” she said. “It had been parked there, I’m guessing, for about 12 hours from 3:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. People drove around it all day — a big red truck — and didn’t turn it in.” 

She said David’s cell phone and wallet, which contained money, were found in the truck. The truck was pointing the wrong direction from where David was headed — north, rather than south, according to Schultz. There was no sign of David, but his coat was located in a ditch on the opposite side of the road. 

“My husband is a truck driver. If he would’ve come across that, he would have called. No, he would have been mad — ‘Why would someone park like that? It’s dangerous,'” Schultz said. “He has such a work ethic and pride in what he does. He would never park like that. So it has me wondering, was he even driving the truck?”

Schultz said law enforcement have searched the area where the truck was found. But, as of Friday afternoon, she said they were just beginning their investigation in Eagle Grove, where her husband loaded the pigs and was last seen. 

“The people he loaded the hogs for, the owner, didn’t now anything about it until today. The neighboring farm didn’t know anything about it until today. People in that area have done nothing to look for him,” she said. “The Lake View police have told me they were going to go today, which they just got there this afternoon to talk to people in that area.” 

Schultz said the United Cajun Navy, a nonprofit organization that organizes search and rescue teams during natural disasters, has offered their services. She said she has been in contact with Jake Rowley, the organization’s Midwest team leader, who is organizing a search of the route her husband’s truck may have traveled. 

“He’s getting flyers made and starting a search,” she said of Rowley. “They’re not going to give up. I feel like this is above the local police, at this point. I feel like someone else should jump in and take charge. I think (the police) are doing what they can — it’s just not enough.” 

According to a statement from the Sac County Sheriff’s Office, Northeast Sac County property owners are being asked to check their properties and outbuildings for “anything out of the ordinary.”

“If anything out of the ordinary is observed, please do not disturb the immediate vicinity and let items remain in place before contacting the Sac County Communications Center at 712-662-7127,” the statement said. 

The Lake View Police Department has asked anyone who has seen or heard from Schultz to contact them at 712-657-2513.

“Thank you for those who have reached out and are sending prayers and concern, helping financially and bringing goods. I would have never expected this. It’s overwhelming,” Schultz said. “If you can help search, please do. If you know something, call the Lake View Police Department.”