Rock Climber Killed Near Donner Lake

Nevada County sheriff´s deputies are investigating the death of rock climber from Reno who apparently was killed in a fall near Donner Lake. The victim has been identified as 21-year-old Justin Saca, a former Las Vegas resident who was attending the University of Nevada, Reno.

Sheriff´s Sergeant Ron Perea says Saca apparently fell to his death from a popular rock-climbing area above the lake near old U.S. Highway 40. The accident occurred Wednesday sometime after five p.m. Perea says the body was discovered yesterday by another rock climber. He says Saca apparently was doing some freestyle climbing with no equipment or helmet.

The body has been taken to Auburn for an autopsy to determine the actual cause of death, but Perea says they suspected he died from the fall. The area was hit with heavy rain and lightning that evening.