Body Pulled From Stanislaus River Believed To Be Rafter Reported Missing Thursday
RIPON (CBS13) - Searchers have found the body of a man matching the description of a rafter who went missing on the Stanislaus River Thursday.
San Joaquin County Sheriff's Boating Safety Unit and the Ripon Fire Department pulled the man's body from the river near Caswell Memorial State Park at around 3 p.m. Saturday. They believe the body is 19-year-old Savon Dean of Elk Grove.
Dean was rafting with a friend at around 7 p.m. in the park when Dean began struggling in the water, according to San Joaquin County Sheriff's Deputy Les Garcia. His friend alerted family members who notified law enforcement personnel.
Searchers were on the river for hours looking for Dean. A CHP helicopter also searched from above.
The body will be turned over to the San Joaquin County Coroner to positively identify the body and notify next of kin. The official cause of death is pending an autopsy and toxicology results.
Dean was not wearing a life jacket when he disappeared.
