The Contra Costa County Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of a deputy who died during a rescue attempt at Lake Tahoe.
Advertisement
Deputy Carlos Francies, 30, was off-duty in South Lake Tahoe with his girlfriend, his sister and another friend, according to the South Lake Tahoe Police Department. He was rescued by his girlfriend and placed on another Lake Tahoe swimmer’s boat. The type of kayaks they were using permit a rider to stand on them as well as to sit. The drowning death investigation will lead by South Lake Tahoe police. Winds were strong with 40 mphs gusts at the lake. Nearly immediately however, only about 20 feet or so from his paddle board, Francies began to falter and fall into distress himself. The sister climbed back aboard her kayak to safety. At one point, it appeared Francies’ friend was in distress and drowining. He and the male friend both jumped into the water to help her, and the friend reached her first and assisted her back onto her kayak, police said. “The life jacket fell far short of Deputy Francies”.
Sgt. Shawn Welch said Francies “heroically sacrificed his life in the pursuit of trying to save the life of another”. He was not wearing a life jacket. She was able to get to him with the life vest before he sank completely, but it appeared he had gone unconscious.
A passer-by lent a paddle board and the group got Francies onto the board, but he was unconscious. His girlfriend began CPR with Francies still on paddle board while making their way to the shore.
Francies jumped in after his friend but tragically drowned. That man was identified as Deputy Francies and was pronounced dead after being taken to Barton Memorial Hospital.
South Lake Tahoe Fire Department medics and police officers responded to the scene call at around 2:48 p.m.
“Today we lost a dedicated deputy sheriff and a member of our family”, said Contra Costa Sheriff David O. Livingston.
“Deputy Carlos Francies died doing what he was sworn to do: putting himself in harm’s way to protect the lives of others”.
“Law Enforcement, sometimes we get bad press”, Welch said, “but 99 percent of all law enforcement will do anything for anybody at any time”. But her friend remained in the water clutching his paddle after his kayak drifted away.
Both sheriff’s offices are investigating the incident.
Francies comes from an athletic family.
Advertisement
Francies worked for the department for approximately three-and-a-half years, Lee said. He started his collegiate football at American River College.
