UPDATE: Rafter drowns in American River

7:33 PM, Jul 1, 2012   |    comments
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SACRAMENTO, CA - A man drowned in the American River after he fell from his raft Saturday afternoon.

Josh Ray Rasmussen, 32, from Fair Oaks, fell out of his raft near River bend Park in Rancho Cordova and got stuck around 4:40 p.m.

"Apparently, he snagged on a tree root or something in the water," Battalion Chief Kyle Johnson said.

The victim's girlfriend called the fire department for help.

A Sacramento Metro Fire rescue boat located Rasmussen about a quarter-mile downstream and pulled him from the water one hour later.

Rasmussen was transported to a local hospital while medics performed CPR. He was pronounced dead later at the hospital.

Johnson said Rasmussen was not wearing a life vest.

News10/KXTV