ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST — Officials and friends resuscitated and rescued a man from the San Gabriel River after he jumped or fell in and landed on a rock, authorities said Tuesday.
Officials received a call just after 5 p.m. Monday that a 46-year-old man, who had been drinking alcohol with friends near East Fork Road, “had either fallen or dove into the rushing water of the San Gabriel River,” Los Angeles County sheriff’s Capt. Mike Parker said in a written statement. “He struck a rock and was unresponsive and laying face down in the water.”
“Witnesses moved him a short distance, but were hampered in their efforts due to it being a very treacherous area of the river and that it was difficult to move the man as he weighed well over 300 pounds,” Parker said.
The friends began performing CPR and called 9-1-1.
U.S. Forest Service officials and a sheriff’s rescue helicopter happened to be in the area and arrived to help within minutes, Parker said.
Sheriff’s paramedics were lowered from the helicopter and were able to resuscitate the victim, hoist him up into the aircraft and take him to a hospital, officials said. He was listed in stable condition Tuesday.