A man was found dead in the grass along Route 176 Saturday morning in Prairie Grove after being reported missing hours earlier, officials report.

About 7 a.m., a driver reported seeing a man “down on the side of the roadway” in the 4400 block of Route 176 in Prairie Grove, Prairie Grove Police Chief Michael Goins said in an email to Shaw Local.

“A McHenry County Sheriff’s Deputy was already in the area searching for a missing person who was reported to their agency hours earlier,” Goins said. “The deputy discovered that a male in his 50s was deceased.”

Officers were able to confirm the body was that of the reported missing person.

There are no “obvious signs of trauma or signs of a traffic crash,” Goins said. It is believed the man suffered a medical emergency while walking, according to a preliminary investigation.

Police continue to investigate the matter and encourage anyone with information to contact the Prairie Grove Police Department at 815-455-3918.

The Prairie Grove Police Department was assisted by the sheriff’s office and the McHenry County Coroner’s Office in the investigation.

The sheriff’s office sent out an alert at 7:21 a.m. Saturday that Route 176 from Route 31 and Smith Road was closed to traffic because of an active police investigation.

The road reopened after three hours, according to another sheriff’s office alert sent out at 10:25 a.m.

Check back for updates.