Rescue Workers Fear Elk Grove Teen Drowned in Stanislaus River While Inner-Tubing

Rescue crews have suspended a search for 19-year-old Savon Dean of Elk Grove, who is believed to have drowned when crossing the Stanislaus River while inner-tubing at Caswell State Park on Thursday, FOX40 reports.

Dean and a friend went tubing around 2 p.m. and authorities arrived around 7 p.m. when the friend showed up a campsite without him, and told family members he was last seen struggling in the river without a life jacket.

Rescue workers think the two removed their life jackets to maneuver through some brush, and then tried to cross what appeared to be a shallow part of the river. It’s expected that Dean took the lead and began having trouble in the water, and his friend turned around and ran for help, FOX40 said.

San Joaquin County Sheriff’s deputies, the Ripon Fire Department and a California Highway Patrol helicopter, searched for the teen on Thursday, called off the search when it got dark, and resumed Friday morning. It has been suspended for now and the investigation is ongoing.