Stanislaus coroner ID's victim in Ceres canal drowning

The man who drowned in a Ceres canal Wednesday morning has been identified by the Stanislaus County Coroner's Office as John Rosenberger, 39, a transient from Modesto.

Witnesses called 911 to report they'd seen the man enter the canal at Moore Road and East Whitmore Avenue shortly after 8 a.m. Within a few minutes, police had arrived, pulled him from the water and begun CPR.

Fire personnel took over CPR and with the AMR ambulance crew continued lifesaving measures for 45 minutes. Rosenberger was declared dead at the scene.

Police said he did not fall into the canal but rather removed some of his clothing, folded it and placed it beside the canal before getting in the water. The current pulled him beneath the surface and under Whitmore Avenue.

Anyone with information on the case is encouraged to contact Detective Bryan Ferreira at 209-538-5616.

This story was originally published September 15, 2017 at 12:20 PM with the headline "Stanislaus coroner ID's victim in Ceres canal drowning."