For Immediate Release

Sergeant Anthony Prencipe

On September 9, 2018, at about 6:30 pm, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office was called regarding a possible drowning on South Lake Tahoe.   Chaitanya Datla, A 32 year old man from Cameron Park was on a rental boat with family members on the lake.  It was reported that Chaitanya jumped off the boat to swim in the water without a life vest. While he was swimming, the boat floated away from him. Family members on board called 911 when Chaitanya disappeared under the surface of the water.

South Lake Tahoe Police Department had originally been called and responded on the lake in an attempt to locate the victim. The United States Coast Guard also deployed a boat to the area conducting a parallel and expanding square search of the area. This area of the lake has a depth of around 1,100 feet and no signs of life were found.

The following morning, EDSO Dive team, along with US Coast Guard, South Lake Tahoe PD, and Douglas County Sheriff’s Office, searched the same area of the lake and did not locate Chaitanya. The Sheriff’s Office is still looking for Chaitanya, who has been listed as a missing person. The accident investigation is being conducted by South Lake Tahoe PD.

For Immediate Release

Sergeant Anthony Prencipe

Over the weekend, El Dorado County is hosting SAREX 2018 (Search and Rescue Exercise) in South Lake Tahoe. This is a statewide exercise with over 500 search and rescue volunteers and professional rescuers from around the state. The weekend long exercise will include air, water, and off highway vehicle operations.

Due to this exercise, you may see increased activity of emergency vehicles, including helicopters, and we do not want you to be concerned. If you are worried about being notified of a possible emergency situation in your area, we recommend that you sign up for Code Red Alerts at ready.edso.org. Also, follow us on Facebook and Twitter @ElDoradoSheriff.

For Immediate Release

Sergeant Anthony Prencipe

This week, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office was informed about a protest which was being planned at the Union Mine High School Football game tonight, August 31, 2018.  The protest was due to a recent arrest which occurred on school grounds.

Threats of a protest increased through out the week, with rumor that some expressed the desire to incite violence, including bringing firearms to the school. EDSO School Resource Officers investigated the rumors and found no conclusive evidence to corroborate these threats. The Sheriff’s Office planned on staffing the event tonight with more personnel, prepared for any protests.

We worked closely with Union Mine High School to ensure the safety of the students on our campuses. The school also provided information about the protests to Douglas High School who was playing against Union Mine tonight. Douglas High School decided to cancel the game after hearing about the threats of protest.

At this time, the El Dorado County Sheriff’s Office is not aware of any threats to the community or schools.