Man dies after being seen in distress in Modesto Reservoir. Deputies find him underwater

A 30-year-old Modesto man apparently drowned at Modesto Reservoir on Saturday afternoon, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Office reports.

At about 12:20 p.m., a 911 call was made to report a man in distress in the water. Responding deputies located him underwater less than 10 minutes later.

The man was taken to shore, where deputies started CPR until medical personnel arrived and took over life-saving efforts. The patient was taken to Doctors Medical Center, where he was pronounced dead.

The Stanislaus County Coroner’s Office will conduct an autopsy this week to determine cause of death. The man’s identity had not been released as of Sunday.

The death was the second of the week at the popular recreation spot. On Tuesday afternoon, a 37-year-old Oakland man died while swimming.

Emerson Garcia-Arredondo of Oakland was visiting the reservoir with family members, who said they last saw him struggling to stay afloat and yelling for help. Garcia-Arredondo slipped under the water and was not seen alive again. His body was found about two and a half hours later.

The Sheriff’s Office recommends:

• Wear a life jacket. They can be borrowed for free at Woodward and Modesto Reservoir, as well as several fire stations in the county.
• Know your limitations when entering any body of water.
• Moderate your alcohol intake.
• Always swim with someone else who can provide help or reach out to others during an emergency.