Herald staff

GOLD BAR – The body of an Everett man missing since early New Year’s Day was found by searchers at 9:25 this morning.

Scott Pettibone, 40, was last seen on his all-terrain vehicle in a rugged area near Reiter Road where he was camping with friends. Search crews from four counties resumed looking for Pettibone this morning after failing to find him Wednesday.

Glenn Pettibone, the man’s father, said it appears that Scott Pettibone crashed his ATV and tried to pull it out with a winch, but couldn’t get it out.

Searchers found the vehicle about 2 miles away from the camp when they began a search at dawn Tuesday. Today they found Pettibone about a quarter-mile from the vehicle.

The cause of death was not immediately known, but the Snohomish County Sheriff’s Office said today they did not suspect foul play. An autopsy is scheduled for Friday.

Pettibone and two companions had camped near an area known as Reiter Pit. He left their 38-foot camping trailer early Tuesday on his ATV to do some exploring and didn’t return.

Pettibone, the father of two children, called his father about a quarter after midnight Tuesday, just an hour before he disappeared, to wish his father a happy new year.