Man who fled Sacramento Co. park rangers by jumping off bridge arrested at ‘Raftopia’

A man accused of organizing a non-permitted rafting event on the American River last month was arrested Saturday afternoon during another rafting event.Sammy Diaz was taken into custody on a arrest warrant for two misdemeanor charges at the Lower Sunrise Recreational Area, next to the river access, Sacramento County Regional Parks officials said.The arrest warrant stems from last month’s “Rafting Gone Wild” event. Diaz fled from park rangers, who were trying to give him a citation for organizing the non-permitted event, by jumping off the American River Bridge and floating away.“The crowd last time was definitely more adversarial, argumentative and hostile towards law enforcement,” Sacramento County Chief Park Ranger Mike Doan said. “When you have 100 people surrounding rangers trying to do their job, it’s not a safe situation.”On Saturday, rafters were on the American River for “Raftopia," for another unpermitted event. Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies and California Fish and Wildlife officials provided additional support with patrols. Doan said “Raftopia” was considerably more tame and compliant.However when Diaz showed up, park rangers arrested him on the outstanding warrant.Diaz was booked into the Sacramento County Jail on misdemeanor charges of interfering with peace officers and jumping off the bridge, the parks department said.No other details were released.

A man accused of organizing a non-permitted rafting event on the American River last month was arrested Saturday afternoon during another rafting event.

Sammy Diaz was taken into custody on a arrest warrant for two misdemeanor charges at the Lower Sunrise Recreational Area, next to the river access, Sacramento County Regional Parks officials said.


The arrest warrant stems from last month’s “Rafting Gone Wild” event. Diaz fled from park rangers, who were trying to give him a citation for organizing the non-permitted event, by jumping off the American River Bridge and floating away.

“The crowd last time was definitely more adversarial, argumentative and hostile towards law enforcement,” Sacramento County Chief Park Ranger Mike Doan said. “When you have 100 people surrounding rangers trying to do their job, it’s not a safe situation.”

On Saturday, rafters were on the American River for “Raftopia," for another unpermitted event. Sacramento County sheriff’s deputies and California Fish and Wildlife officials provided additional support with patrols. Doan said “Raftopia” was considerably more tame and compliant.

However when Diaz showed up, park rangers arrested him on the outstanding warrant.

Diaz was booked into the Sacramento County Jail on misdemeanor charges of interfering with peace officers and jumping off the bridge, the parks department said.

No other details were released.