Stanislaus County Coroner ID's Riverbank drowning victim

More details emerged today in the drowning death of a Riverbank man in the Stanislaus River on Tuesday night.

Alex Roberto Romero, 21, was identified as the man pulled the river near Riverbank’s Jacob Myers Park, according to the Stanislaus County coroner’s office.

Romero, his 17-year-old brother and an 18-year-old friend were playing on a rope swing and swimming in the river in the area off Riverside Drive and Fifth Street, about 400 yards east of the park, according to Sgt. Aaron Kiely of the Riverbank Police Services agency.

At some point, and not far from the south bank, Romero began to struggle. His brother and friend tried to retrieve him, but to no avail.

Romero’s brother made it back to shore on his own and the 18-year-old, who was hanging on to some vegetation, was rescued by firefighters from the Stanislaus Consolidated Fire Protection District.

Romero’s body was retrieved about a half-mile west at the base of a piling for the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway tracks, a hundred yards or so from the park.

In addition to the treacherous and cold waters, Kiely said there is a steep drop-off a few feet from the shore.

This story was originally published June 15, 2011 at 3:24 PM with the headline "Stanislaus County Coroner ID's Riverbank drowning victim."