Man found dead in Russian River after dayslong search

Authorities found a man dead Friday in the Russian River following a more than two-day search , a fire official said.

The man was found about 2:20 p.m. Friday around Patterson Point Preserve near the Villa Grande community, the same spot he was reported to have possibly drowned Wednesday night.

The Monte Rio Fire Protection District, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office, Sonoma County Fire District and bystanders began searching just after 6:20 p.m. Wednesday for the man, Monte Rio Fire Chief Steve Baxman said Sunday.

The search was suspended at dark due to safety concerns and resumed on Thursday and continued throughout the day. A Napa County Sheriff’s Office marine unit assisted with a remote-operated underwater vehicle.

On Friday, a Sonoma County Sheriff’s dive team located the man in the river “exactly where he went in.”

Witnesses initially reported they thought the man, who Baxman described as in his 20s, was having a medical emergency.

The Sonoma County Coroner will determine the man’s cause of death following an autopsy. The agency will also identify the man after his family is notified.

The death is the first of two drownings to take place within four days in the Russian River. The second one occurred about 6:40 p.m. Saturday near where Dutch Bill Creek empties into the Russian River, Baxman said. The man was pronounced dead after medical personnel performed life-saving measure for about 25 minutes.

You can reach Staff Writer Madison Smalstig at madison.smalstig@pressdemocrat.com. On X (Twitter) @madi.smals.