Coroner identifies two Merced men, both 23, who drowned at Lake Yosemite

The Merced County Sheriff Coroner’s Office has identified two men who died after they had jumped into the water at Lake Yosemite in Merced County.

According to Deputy Daryl Allen, the men have been identified as 23-year-old Saul Perez-Santos and 23-year-old William Lopez, both of Merced. Authorities responded to reports of a man drowning at the lake shortly after 2 p.m. on March 27.

Deputies said the men were swimming when one of the men went underwater and the other man attempted to save him, but began to struggle.

According to authorities, people were able to pull Lopez from the water and he was transported to the Mercy Medical Center Intensive Care Unit where he died the following morning.

Divers with the Merced County Sheriff’s Office Water Recovery Team responded to the lake and after just over an hour of searching, located Perez-Santos’ body and he was pronounced dead at the scene.