Man found dead in Geysers area

First responders converged on a remote area near The Geysers geothermal field Thursday morning, but were unable to save 41-year-old Bay Area resident Nikolai Goncharoff, who was found at the bottom of a steep embankment.

Shortly before 8:45 a.m., a rescue truck was dispatched from Geyserville in response to a call of a potentially life-threatening injury, according to Northern Sonoma County Fire Capt. Joe Stewart.

Goncharoff was found in hilly terrain near the Sonoma-Lake county border. It was unknown why he was in the area.

Sonoma County Sheriff’s Lt. Jayson Fowler said Goncharoff was pronounced dead sometime Thursday. Fowler declined to provide additional details about the case as an investigation is ongoing.

Goncharoff’s cause of death had yet to be determined. Officials said the Sonoma County Coroner’s Office is unlikely to have further information until at least Monday, when it completes an autopsy.

Press Democrat attempts to reach Goncharoff’s relatives were unsuccessful. He had listed addresses in Daly City, San Francisco and Calistoga.

KT McNulty, a Redcom executive director, said the initial dispatch was to Pine Flat and Big Sulphur Creek roads — which would actually be beyond where Pine Flat’s name changes to Dillingham Road.

The location is about 14 miles from the Jimtown landmark, up steep and twisting roads.

A helicopter was deployed to the scene, but Goncharoff was taken by ground ambulance to Healdsburg District Hospital, Stewart said.

Other responding agencies included Knights Valley Volunteer Fire Company and Dry Creek Rancheria Fire Department, McNulty said.