Modesto man drowns at Woodward during holiday weekend, sheriff reports. Advice on safety
A Modesto man drowned Sunday while swimming at Woodward Reservoir, the Stanislaus County Sheriff’s Department reported.
A news release said Franci Antonio Paz Madrid, 21, was reported in distress near the Mountain View Point campground just before 2 p.m. He was with a group visiting the reservoir north of Oakdale during the Memorial Day weekend.
Madrid did not resurface while swimming with a friend, prompting a search with boats, divers, drones and helicopters, the release said. Madrid’s body was found at about 8 p.m., officials said.
The drowning was the second at Woodward in five weeks. The department reported that Oscar Rafael Coello-Flores, 24, of San Francisco died off Mountain View Point on April 21.
Another recent drowning was on the San Joaquin River near Newman. Brenda Duran, 30, went missing May 9 after jumping in to aid her struggling daughter at the Fisherman’s Bend trailer park, the Sheriff’s Department reported. Volunteer searchers found her body two days later, officials said.
Sunday’s drowning at Woodward prompted the agency to offer safety advice:
Wear a life jacket. They can be borrowed for free at Woodward and Modesto Reservoir, as well as several fire stations in the county.
Know your limitations when entering any body of water.
Moderate your alcohol intake.
Always swim with someone else who can provide help or reach out to others during an emergency.
