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The Contra Costa County sheriff’s search-and-rescue team resumed its search this morning for a 79-year-old Walnut Creek man who was swept away in the rain-swollen creek on Sunday, after the car he was in drove into the creek and overturned, sheriff’s spokesman Jimmy Lee said.
About 50 searchers, aided by helicopters, dogs and a boat from the sheriff’s marine patrol unit, are scouring the 11.3-mile length of Walnut Creek between Bancroft Road and the Sacramento San Joaquin-Delta as they look for longtime sheriff’s department volunteer James Hogan.
Hogan volunteered with the department for almost 16 years at the Alamo station, where he coordinated other volunteers.
As of 3:30 p.m., there was no sign of Hogan, and Lee said the operation is being considered a recovery mission, rather than a rescue.
The search efforts will continue through the afternoon before the department will re-evaluate how to move forward.
Lt. Shelley James said the department responded to a 911 call at 6:10 p.m. Sunday from someone reporting that a car had lost control and plunged into Walnut Creek near Mount Diablo Boulevard and San Miguel Drive.
The driver of the 2000 Honda Accord was trapped inside and pronounced dead at the scene. The coroner’s office identified him today as James’ son, 40-year-old San Diego resident Tim Hogan.
It was raining heavily at the time of the crash and the two passengers, James and his wife Janet, were swept downstream by the fast-moving waters of the canal. Officials said the canal had four to five feet of rushing water as a result of the weekend’s storms.
James Hogan was last seen floating face down in the canal, officials said.
A California Highway Patrol helicopter crew was on its way to retrieve the body from the water when they were diverted to rescue Janet Hogan, who had floated to a spot near Treat Boulevard, about three miles from where the crash happened, CHP Officer Shaun Bouyea said.
The helicopter crew, with the assistance of a Contra Costa County Fire Protection District rescue swimmer, spotted the 74-year-old woman floating rapidly downstream, Bouyea said.
The helicopter hoisted the rescue swimmer from a grove of trees near the canal and lowered him near the woman. As the swimmer entered the water, the woman went underwater and disappeared, Bouyea said.
The crew found the woman again about 20 yards downstream, unconscious on a rock in the middle of the canal, Bouyea said. The rescue swimmer grabbed the woman, secured her, and the helicopter hoisted them both to shore.
The woman was revived by medical personnel and taken to John Muir Medical Center, where she was awake and talking Sunday night, Bouyea said.
The helicopter crew then went and searched for the man who was reported floating face down in the canal, but did not find him.
The sheriff’s search-and-rescue team resumed their efforts this morning. They have set up a command post at Bisso Lane and Concord Avenue in Concord, Lee said.
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