June 8, 2024 – Fresno County Sheriff's Office officials report that at around 12:30 p.m. on Friday, deputies and EMS personnel responded to Skaggs Bridge Park in Kerman for a report of a man who was swimming in the San Joaquin River and was now unconscious.  Friends of the man began to administer CPR until first responders arrived and took over compressions.  Shortly after 1:00 p.m., the man was declared deceased.

Friends say the man, who was in his early 20s, did not know how to swim and was not wearing a life jacket.  He was wading through knee high water when he fell off a shelf in the riverbed, becoming submerged in the deeper water.  It took him two to three minutes to resurface, friends then provided him with help.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages everyone to be safe in and around pools and all natural waterways. Take these simple measures.

1.) Wear a life jacket. Make sure children have one that fits them properly.

2.) Stay out of the water if you are not an experienced swimmer.

3.) Parents should watch their children at all times.

4.) Do not mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol causes swimmers to become fatigued faster than normal and can create dangerous situations.

5.) Understand that when it’s hot outside you will get tired faster than usual.

6.) Respect the water. The temperature of the water remains cold and the current is often stronger than it appears. There can be debris in the water, which is difficult to see and may cause hazardous situations for swimmers.

7.) Be careful of the mud on the bottom of lakes and rivers, it’s easy to sink in some spots and get your feet stuck.  Also, use your feet to feel for drop off spots.  River and lake bottoms can dramatically change from shallow to deep in a short distance.

Source & photos: Fresno County Sheriff's Office