Man drowns in San Joaquin River in Mendota after rescue attempt

A warm evening outing at the San Joaquin River near Mendota turned fatal when 24-year-old James Romero Soriano was swept away by the current and died after friends tried to pull him back. The Fresno County Sheriff’s Office said deputies were called around 5:30 p.m. Monday, June 2, to the river area near San Mateo Avenue, where a small group had been hanging out.

According to the sheriff’s office, Soriano entered the water even though he did not know how to swim. The current quickly carried him away and he went underwater. Friends called 911 and kept searching for him for about 15 minutes before finding him, but the rescue attempt did not save his life. The sheriff’s office posted the case on its media page the same day and updated the public again the next day as the investigation and response developed.

The sheriff’s office later identified Soriano as a Mendota resident, and his family disputed one detail, saying he could swim but was unfamiliar with the river and surprised by the current. The Romero family also said his death was the second sibling loss in the family in two years, deepening the loss felt in Mendota.

The tragedy underscores how quickly conditions on the San Joaquin River can turn dangerous in western Fresno County, especially in a remote stretch where currents, uneven banks and limited access points can complicate any emergency response. Water Safety Council of Fresno County warns that rivers can pull people under with swift currents and undertow, and urges people to wear U.S. Coast Guard-approved life jackets whenever they are on a boat, near open water or taking part in water sports.

Local officials have tried to push those messages before summer heat draws more people to the water. In June 2025, the Fresno County Sheriff’s Office distributed 150 free life jackets at Skaggs Bridge Park, Lost Lake Park, Laton-Kingston Park and Avocado Lake Park. The county had recorded nine drownings by late July 2024, after 16 in 2023 and 13 in 2022, and California’s water-safety campaign has used May, National Water Safety Month, to stress that drowning is preventable.

Mendota Mayor Victor Martinez has also argued that the city needs more safe recreation infrastructure, saying Mendota has the lowest per-capita parks and recreation access in the city. For families heading to the river this weekend, Soriano’s death is a reminder that a brief stop by the water can become a recovery operation in minutes.