By Deanna Wulff
Los Gatos residents hiking or biking near Lexington Reservoir should do so with caution.
The annual draining of the reservoir has left a muddy flat that trapped a 77-year-old man for two days. The man was listed in good condition as of Thursday last week, but the muddy flat remains.
The Santa Clara Valley Water District drains the reservoir in its annual preparation for the rainy season, creating a silty inlet.
The Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department, which leases the land around Lexington Reservoir, usually posts signs to warn the public about various dangers, but this danger is a new one. "There are no warnings in the area because it is undeveloped for public use," said Tamara Clark-Shear, a parks and recreation spokesperson.
The department was waiting for further information on how the man became stuck in the mud before deciding on posting warning signs.
The man, William Estrada, was found in an inlet that runs under Highway 17 by two brothers, 8 and 9 years old. They saw Estrada caught in the mud and told a neighbor in Los Gatos. When they returned later that evening, they could not find him.
The following day, the boys returned and found the man up to his neck in mud. They summoned their father, who then called the authorities.
The man, William Estrada, suffered from severe hypothermia. It was thought that his feet and one hand might have to be amputated, but according to the Santa Clara Valley Medical Center, that is now unlikely.
Police believe Estrada is homeless.
This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, October 16, 1996.
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