California man drowns after falling from raft The Associated Press Published: Tuesday, Jun. 17, 2014 – 9:22 pm ASPEN, Colo. — Authorities say a 44-year-old California man drowned after falling from a raft on the Roaring Fork River in Aspen. James Paul Sizemore, of Manhattan Beach, California, was one of two people who fell out of the commercial raft Monday afternoon. He was in the water for about five minutes before he was pulled back into the boat. He then said he couldn’t breathe and collapsed unconscious. The Pitkin County Coroner’s Office said late Tuesday that Sizemore died of drowning with a contributing factor of heart disease. Coroner Steve Ayers told The Aspen Daily News (http://bit.ly/1kLSpfv ) earlier that in such cases, rapid body cooling can significantly reduce heart rate and cause arrhythmia. He says it’s unclear how the man fell into the water. The other man who fell into the water got back to the raft and is doing OK. Information from: Aspen Daily News, http://www.aspendailynews.com Manhattan Beach Man Drowns in Colorado River Rafting Trip An ABC affiliate in Colorado is reporting that a Manhattan Beach man has drowned after falling from a raft on the Colorado River. The Pitkin County Coroner’s office has identified the deceased as James Paul Sizemore, 44, who was rafting along the Roaring Fork River when he and another man fell into the water Monday. The second man was able to return to the raft. First responders applied CPR to Sizemore to no avail, reports the Aspen Daily News. An existing heart condition may have contributed to the death. Sizemore was on a commercial rafting trip with Blazing Adventures, the Daily News reported.