Tracking the deaths from California's winter storms
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A series of winter storms battering California has proved dangerous and deadly, causing at least 19 storm-related deaths across the state.
Earlier this week, Gov. Gavin Newsom said the storms had claimed "more lives than wildfires in the past two years combined," and noted that the number of deaths "tragically is likely to grow."
The Times is gathering details on those deaths and will continue to update this page as more information becomes available.
Two killed by rockslide in Yosemite National Park, Dec. 27
A husband and wife were killed in a rockfall about half a mile east of the Arch Rock Entrance station in Yosemite National Park. Rocks fell from about 1,000 feet above the road, and the force of the impact pushed their Dodge Ram rental truck off the road and into an embankment of the Merced River, according to the Mariposa County Sheriff's Office. They were George Theocharous, 51, and Ming Yan, 35, of San Jose.
Man killed by falling tree at state beach, Santa Cruz County, Dec. 31
Gary Yules, a 72-year-old man from Santa Cruz, was killed by a falling cypress tree at Lighthouse Field State Beach in Santa Cruz on New Year's Eve, according to the Santa Cruz County Coroner's Office.
Three bodies found in floodwaters, Sacramento County, Jan. 1
Three people died in floodwaters near where levees breached along the Cosumnes and Mokelumne rivers. They were pronounced dead New Year's Day, according to the Sacramento County Coroner's Office.
Steven Sampson, a 45-year-old man from McAlester, Okla.
Katherine Martinez, a 61-year-old woman from Orland
Mei Keng Lam, a 57-year-old woman from San Leandro
Woman died after her vehicle flipped into creek, San Bernardino County, Jan. 1
Christine Flores, 65, was found dead in her flipped vehicle after she lost control driving on Arrowbear Drive in San Bernardino County, landing in a creek, according to California Highway Patrol officials and the county coroner’s office. She lived in Big Bear Lake.
Man's body recovered from American River, El Dorado County, Jan. 3
Bruce Gordon, 33, was found dead at the South Fork of the American River, according to the El Dorado County Sheriff's Office.
Child killed by falling tree, Sonoma County, Jan. 4
Aeon Tocchini, a 2-year-old boy from Occidental, was killed when a redwood tree fell on his family's double-wide trailer, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office. His father was also in the trailer but survived.
Woman killed in car crash, Solano County, Jan. 4
Marmsha Nash, a 19-year-old woman from Fairfield, was killed when her car hydroplaned and hit a utility pole, according to Solano County officials.
Man found dead in drainage overflow, San Bernardino County, Jan. 6
Rodrigo Lucero Bonola, 41, was found in a drainage overflow area near East Highland Avenue in north San Bernardino, according to the San Bernardino Coroner’s Office. He was likely unhoused, officials said.
Two people killed by falling trees, Sacramento County, Jan. 7
Two unhoused people were found dead in separate areas after tree branches fell onto their tents, according to the Sacramento County Coroner's Office.
Rebekah Rohde, a 40-year-old woman
Steven Sorensen, a 61-year-old man
Man working on repair efforts killed when truck left road, Mendocino County, Jan. 7
Edgar Castillo, a 37-year-old man from Elk Grove, died during a traffic collision in Manchester. Castillo was employed by a company that was assisting the utility company PG&E with storm-related repair efforts in Mendocino County. He was driving a tree service boom truck that rolled over several times after leaving the road, county officials said.
Woman killed by falling tree, Mendocino County, Jan. 9
Susan Stever, a 68-year-old woman from Fort Bragg, was killed by a tree that fell into her home on North Highway 1 while she was asleep, according to county officials.
Unidentified female driver found dead, San Luis Obispo County, Jan. 9
A woman died in a vehicle on a closed road after being overtaken by floodwaters in Avila Beach, according the California Highway Patrol.
Two unidentified people killed in crash, Tulare County, Jan. 10
The crash was reported around 5:55 a.m. on Highway 99 near Goshen. Lightning struck a tree, causing it to fall onto the northbound lanes.
Woman found dead in submerged car, Sonoma County, Jan. 11
Daphne Fontino, a 43-year-old woman from Ukiah, was found in a submerged car in Forestville, according to the Sonoma County Sheriff's Office.
The California Governor's Office of Emergency Services has reported another possible storm-related death in Santa Clara county, which The Times is still working to confirm.
This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
