Sonoma County authorities identify two victims in storm-related deaths
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office on Friday confirmed the identity of the two men who were found deceased in storm-related incidents earlier this week.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office said in a Facebook post that the first incident was reported Wednesday at about 4:41 p.m. along the 7700 block of Franz Valley Road north of Santa Rosa and west of Calistoga.
Deputies found a man dead in a culvert and personnel from the Northern Sonoma County Fire District were dispatched to retrieve the body. That victim was identified as 61-year-old Calistoga resident John Radecke, the sheriff's office coroner said.
On Thursday morning, a second body was discovered along the 5800 block of Hall Road in unincorporated Santa Rosa just north of Sebastopol, the sheriff's office said. Sonoma County Fire District personnel and the California National Guard assisted deputies in retrieving the body of a male victim at about 7 a.m.
Fire officials told CBS News Bay Area the victim had been on a bicycle on nearby Sanford Road north of Occidental Road before his body was discovered on Hall Road.
The 81-year-old victim -- identified on Friday as Sebastopol resident Frank Robinson -- had been reported missing at around 9 p.m. Wednesday and was on a bicycle equipped with a GPS device, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff. A National Guard vehicle was brought in to help in the search for him early Thursday morning.
His body was located by the Fire District's swift water rescue swimmers, the district said.
This week's storm has caused widespread local flooding, especially in the North Bay, and on Thursday the region got another round of rain from the third atmospheric river storm in less than a week.
The Sonoma County Sheriff's Office offered their "deepest condolences" to the family and friends of the two victims.