Payson man drowns in East Verde

27-year-old Brett Baldonado drowned in the river northeast of Payson by Cracker Jack Mine Road

Gila County Sheriff's Office, Tuesday, August 2 - A day at the East Verde River turned tragic when a Payson resident drowned while swimming in the river northeast of Payson on the Cracker Jack Mine road.  The Gila County Sheriff’s Office was notified at approximately 1:03 p.m. of a missing subject who was with friends at the river and disappeared. 

Brett Baldonado, 27, was reported to be playing around in the water and did not appear to be in distress according to the two friends who were at the river with him.  The other two individuals went up the road and when they came back, they could not locate him.  They searched the area and then called for assistance.

Payson Police received the initial call, which was a broken cell phone connection, and could only hear "Crackerjack" and "friend under water".  Payson Police relayed the information to the Sheriff’s Office and deputies were dispatched.

When deputies arrived on the scene, they gathered information on where and when he was last seen. The Gila County Dive Team was activated along with Search and Rescue to locate Baldonado, but no one had seen him go underwater. The dive team searched  the water in the area where he was last seen.

At approximately 2:47 p.m., dive team members located Baldonado in approximately seven feet of water.