Officials release name of man who fell into Modesto canal

Stanislaus County coroner officials on Thursday released the name of a 28-year-old man found dead Monday after he apparently fell into a canal in central Modesto.

Joseph Park, a transient man from Modesto, fell into the Modesto Irrigation District canal Monday afternoon, according to coroner officials.

About 1:30 p.m. Monday, authorities were called to the area of Patricia Lane a few blocks southeast of McHenry and Fairmont avenues. Someone reported a man had fallen into a canal.

Modesto police Lt. Tom Ciccarelli said a witness called to say the man was “acting erratically” and heard a yell as he was falling into the water. The witness called police as the man drifted west with the current toward Ila Way, just north of Lucern Avenue.

Firefighters and police officers arrived, spotted Park and pulled him from the canal, where he was pronounced dead.

This story was originally published July 27, 2017 at 9:37 AM with the headline "Officials release name of man who fell into Modesto canal."