Tulare deputies search for suspect who jumped into river, disappeared

The Tulare County Sheriff’s Office is searching for a man who jumped into the St. John’s River near Visalia to elude deputies early Thursday, spokeswoman Ashley Schwarm reported.

The man was identified as Andrew Joseph Sedillo, 47. Schwarm said that around 7:40 a.m. a deputy was at a homeless encampment at the St. John’s, looking for a suspect wanted for a felony narcotics warrant when he made contact with a man identified as Sedillo, who dropped a meth pipe in front of the deputy and gave the deputy a false identity.

The deputy tried to arrest Sedillo, but he jumped into the St. John’s River. He was seen treading water for about 100 yards, but deputies never saw him resurface.

Sedillo is on probation for assault with a deadly weapon and has three active arrest warrants.

Dozens of TCSO Deputies, the CHP helicopter, TCSO Drone, TCSO Dive Team and other agencies are all on-scene helping to look for Sedillo.

He was last seen wearing a long-sleeve gray shirt and khaki pants.

This story was originally published March 21, 2019 at 11:00 AM.