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A Rohnert Park man has died while whitewater rafting on the North Fork of the American River near Colfax and authorities are looking into the possibility of a fatal heart attack.

The man was identified by the Placer County Sheriff’s Office as Stan Decker, 59, of Rohnert Park. Decker died Saturday afternoon, authorities said.

The Associated Press initially reported that Decker drowned after apparently trying to help two rafters who were struggling with some fast-moving rapids.

But State Parks Supervising Ranger Scott Liske of the Auburn State Recreation Area said Monday that an ashen-faced Decker was reported by onlookers to have collapsed while standing in ankle-deep water after a particularly frenetic ride both in and out of the churning whitewater.

Decker was part of a commercial rafting trip by Auburn’s Whitewater Excitement outfitters that left from the Mineral Bar put-in near the Iowa Hill Bridge at 12:15 p.m. Saturday, Liske said.

At least two boats and a kayaking outrider set out and the boat Decker was in ended up pitching four occupants out at Slaughter’s Sluice, about half a mile downstream, Liske said.

Decker was one of the rafters who wemt in after the craft hit something in the water. He and another occupant were able to get back into the inflatable rubber raft and try to help pull the other two – a man and a woman – back in, Liske said.

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A 59-year-old man died early Saturday afternoon after rafting near the North Fork of the American River near Colfax, known as Chamberlain Falls.

Officials are waiting for the coroner to determine if it’s an apparent drowning. They have not identified the man, although they say he is with the rafting company there.

According to Cal Fire, they received a 911 call with reports of CPR in progress along the river bank near the Mineral Bar campgrounds. Responders tried to get to the scene by foot, but couldn’t and had to get to the man by helicopter.

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Rafter and wader beware – as of Sunday the water in the American River is running a full 12 degrees colder than it is during the dog days of summer.

“Right now the water is 53 degrees. Normally in the summertime, it’s about 65,” says Battalion Chief Chris Siler of Sacramento Metro Fire.

It’s not an exaggeration; miles from the actual point of snow melt, the American River is running cold and very fast – 3940 cubic feet per second – in Rancho Cordova.

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A woman had to be assisted out of the American River on Sunday after she became surrounded by the rising river.

According to Assistant Chief Scott Cockrum of the Sac Metro Fire Dept., the woman walked out to a small island in the river and when the river level rose, she decided she could not get back to the shore safely.

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