A man apparently drowned in the American River at the Randall Tract Bridge near Whitehall.

A driver on Highway 50 saw what was believed to be a body off to the side of the road, called authorities about 2:20pm Feb. 10, and when paramedics arrived they found the deceased man. Other than being an adult, no age was given. No name has been released pending notification of next of kin.

“He was hung up in some brush on the bank, but still in the water,” El Dorado County sheriff’s Lt. Matt Underhill told Lake Tahoe News.

There is no evidence that he was trying to kayak the river or use some other vessel to navigate the rushing American River.

The victim was wearing jeans, leather lace up boots and no shirt.

“People should not approach waterways right now because of the freezing cold temperature, rapidly rising waters are dangerous and the banks unstable,” Underhill said.

— Lake Tahoe News staff report