The Fresno County Sheriff – Coroner’s Office has identified 50-year-old Humberto Flores (DOB 4/25/65) of Fresno as the man who drowned in the San Joaquin River on Sunday.
On July 12, at about 3:00 pm, deputies were dispatched to Skaggs Bridge Park (5901 N. Madera Ave.) for a water rescue. Flores and his female friend had been hanging out on an island located along the river, west of Skaggs Bridge Park. The couple got into their aluminum motor boat and rode upstream. While heading up the river, the boat got stuck on a sandbar. Flores got out of the boat and jumped into the water for a swim. A few young men fishing along the embankment heard Flores begin to yell for help. One of the young men, who is approximately 20 years old and doesn’t know how to swim, walked into the water and grabbed Flores’ hand to pull him out. During Flores’ panic, he started to pull his rescuer into deeper water, causing him to let go. The woman in the boat handed the young man a paddle, which he used to reach out to Flores to try and pull him in. Flores once again began to pull his rescuer in, so the young man let go of the paddle. The young man then used his phone to dial 911 for help. The woman, who was still in the boat, reached down and grabbed Flores and held his head above water. However, as she tried to pull him into the boat, it tipped and began to take on water and sink. The rescuer on shore shifted his attention to the woman. He grabbed a nearby bed sheet, went back into the water and had her grab hold of it to help her safely get out of the water.
Members of the Fresno County Sheriff’s Dive Unit got into the water and searched the area where Flores was said to have gone under. Deputies quickly located Flores about 10 feet down on the river bottom.
Deputies later learned through their investigation that Flores and his female friend did not know how to swim. Flores had also been drinking alcohol throughout the day, however, it’s unclear exactly how much he consumed.
The Sheriff’s Office would like to remind people to be safe while doing activities in and around water. Know your limits and take simple precautions such as:
1) Wear a life jacket
2) Stay close to shore if you’re not an experienced swimmer
3) Do not mix alcohol and swimming. Alcohol causes swimmers to fatigue faster than normal and can create dangerous situations.
4) Be cautious of your footing in lakes and rivers. It’s not unusual to encounter a steep drop-off or have your feet get stuck in muddy conditions, which can be difficult to escape.
