Search Suspended For Teen In San Joaquin River

GRAYSON (CBS13) - A search for a teen last seen floating down the San Joaquin River was called off after several hours Monday night with no sign of the boy.

The Stanislaus County Sheriff's Office and Fire Department responded to the river at 8622 Dos Rios Road near the small town of Grayson at 4:51 p.m. for a 17-year-old male who needed help.

The search was called off after about two hours Monday, with officials saying recovery efforts will resume on Tuesday morning.

His uncle heard from the teen's father Monday afternoon, saying his boy may have gone under.

"And I received a call from him," Ramon Alvarez said. "He's very sad."

Investigators tell CBS13 the 17-year-old was out swimming in the river when all of a sudden he was having problems. One of his friends reached out to grab him, but couldn't hold on to him and then he floated down the river.

"It's the last that they've seen of him from that point," said Jeff Breasher of the West Stanislaus Fire Protection

He vanished.

On the surface the river looks calm and for some inviting, but below are fast-moving, cold, twisting currents and unseen debris.

"Even though it does look like it's pretty calm, there are some deep spots in there," Breasher said.

Gary Bettencourt has been living along the river for 20 years now. He says this isn't first time someone has fallen victim to it

"Sometimes they jump off the bridge," he said about a spot near where the teen vanished. "It's pretty dangerous. You have to be careful at all times."

But despite danger, they keep coming back.

"I would never advise anyone to come out here without a life jacket because you never know where the holes are in here," Bettencourt said. "But people do it anyway."