Fresno Leader

The man who drowned in the San Joaquin River has been identified as 24-year-old Ricardo Perez Diaz of Madera.

Around 12:30 pm on Friday, deputies and EMS personnel responded to Skaggs Bridge Park in Kerman following a report of a man swimming in the San Joaquin River who had become unconscious. Friends of the man began administering CPR until first responders arrived and took over compressions. Shortly after 1:00 pm, he was declared deceased.

Friends say Ricardo 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 deeper water. It took him two to three minutes to resurface, at which point friends provided assistance.

The Sheriff’s Office encourages everyone to exercise caution around pools and natural waterways by taking these measures:

1) Wear a U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jacket that is secured and fits properly.

2) Avoid water activities if you are not an experienced swimmer.

3) Parents should supervise their children at all times.

4) Do not mix alcohol with swimming, as it causes faster fatigue and can create dangerous situations.

5) Understand that hot weather can lead to quicker exhaustion.

6) Respect the water; its temperature remains cold, currents can be stronger than they appear, and debris may cause hazards for swimmers.

7) Be cautious of mud on lake and river bottoms; it is easy to sink or get feet stuck. Use your feet to feel for drop-off spots as river and lake bottoms can change dramatically from shallow to deep over short distances.