Sacramento man identified in El Dorado County water rescue death
The El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office coroner’s division has identified the man who died trying to save his sister’s service dog Saturday.
He was identified as Robert Willie-Solomon III, 26, of Sacramento.
Emergency crews responded to the Rock Creek Bridge swimming area, where life-saving measures were attempted, but Willie-Solomon died, officials said.
The Mosquito Fire Protection District said in a social media post that a 5-year-old German shepherd went missing during the incident and has not been found.
Willie-Soloman’s sister told KCRA that the man entered the water during an attempt to rescue the dog after the service animal slipped into the water. The station, citing his sister, reported that both were caught in a strong current.
The area is known for powerful hydraulic currents that can trap swimmers, according to authorities.
A GoFundMe campaign created by the family said Willie-Solomon called the drowning “an unexpected tragedy.”
“Robert was a kind, generous, and loving person who always put others before himself,” the fundraiser states.
By Tuesday afternoon, the campaign had raised more than $13,000 for funeral and burial expenses.
