Petaluma man dies while swimming in Russian River near Geyserville

A Petaluma man drowned Sunday evening during a family outing at the Russian River, the first reported drowning on the river this summer.

Relatives found Angel Cendon-Hernandez, 24, in the river near Geyserville about 10 minutes after he became separated from two family members while swimming, Sonoma County Sheriff’s Office spokeswoman Misti Wood said.

He was not breathing.

Relatives gave him CPR, called 911 at about 7:10 p.m. and decided to try driving him to help.

The Geyserville Fire Department and an ambulance intercepted the car at the 21000 block of River Road, about two-thirds of a mile away from the area where the group had been swimming, Wood said.

Emergency responders were unable to revive Cendon-Hernandez, who was pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Sonoma County deputies noted no suspicious circumstances during their investigation into the apparent drowning, though they learned Cendon-Hernandez had a mental and physical disability that could have played a role in his death, Wood said.

Wood did not immediately know if Cendon-Hernandez could swim or if he was wearing a life jacket at the time he died.

“The investigation is still going on to determine the cause and manner in the death,” Wood said. “(His disability) may have affected why he drowned but we don’t know for certain.”

You can reach Staff Writer Nashelly Chavez at 707-521-5203 or nashelly.chavez@pressdemocrat.com. On Twitter @nashellytweets.