Man drowns in San Joaquin River. Friends told deputies he did not know how to swim
A man died Friday afternoon after drowning in the San Joaquin River east of Fresno.
Deputies said the man was swimming around 12:30 p.m. at Skaggs Bridge Park near Kerman when he drowned.
Friends pulled the man, described to be in his 20s, to the shore and began CPR until first responders arrived.
The man died at the scene, deputies said.
The victim’s friends told deputies that he did not know how to swim and was not wearing a life jacket.
Friends witnessed the man wading through knee-high water when he fell off a shelf in the river bed and became submerged in the deeper water.
Deputies said it took the victim three minutes to resurface before friends provided aid.
This story was originally published June 7, 2024 at 2:22 PM.
Anthony Galaviz
The Fresno Bee