Man found deceased in El Dorado County river

On May 1 at around 11:15 p.m., the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office (EDSO) was notified by Sacramento Municipal Utility District (SMUD) that they had received a distress call from one of their contracted security officers who said he was in his vehicle in a river.

That officer, 33-year-old Jared Cluff of Sacramento, was near the SMUD Powerhouse on Peavine Ridge Road east of Pollock Pines, but his exact location was unknown.

EDSO deputies and their Search and Rescue team responded along with a CHP helicopter. They searched the area for Cluff and his vehicle in a large area with inclement weather. At 7:41 a.m. May 2, the submerged vehicle was found. The EDSO Dive Team responded and located the deceased Cluff underwater.

The victim was working for a private security company out of Sacramento and was not an employee of SMUD. The California Highway Patrol will be investigating the accident and cause of death is pending the coroner’s investigation.