Five swimmers found themselves in trouble on Thursday afternoon when they tried to swim from the shores of Lake Berryessa to rock upcroppings 150 feet from the shoreline, according to Napa County Sheriff’s Sgt. Mike Clark.

Four of them made it, one did not.

As of early Thursday evening, the body of Jovencio Cabab, 23, of Fairfield not been recovered from the choppy lake.

The group of three men and two women were at Oak Shores when they decided to take to the water headed for the rocks, Clark said.

“The wind was blowing about 20 miles per hour, causing white caps. Swimming in those conditions can exhaust a person very fast,” he said.

All five of them were having trouble in the water. “One of the girls went down. But she was grabbed by one of the men, and they made it to the rocks. Another one of the men was really struggling, but he also was able to make it,” Clark said.

Cabab was behind all of them, Clark said. “He went down and, according to the family, did not resurface.”

Two of the survivors were rescued off the rocks by the sheriff’s patrol boat.

The other two were on shore when lake deputies arrived. They had been helped back to shore by people who were on the shore.

“They refused medical treatment. The were very exhausted and cold,” he said.

Clark said he went to the spot in the water where the family said they last saw the victim. “I used the water sonar on the boat to try to find a target.”

He was unsuccessful.

Clark said, weather permitting, the Napa County Sheriff’s Dive Team will conduct a search of the area today.

Fall from ladder seriously injures painter

A painter was critically hurt when he fell 20 feet from an extended ladder on Wednesday and landed on concrete, according to Napa Fire Capt. Scott Sedgley.

The man, whose name was not available, suffered major head injuries, Sedgley said.

He, along with other painters, were painting the inside of a new unoccupied dance studio on Imperial Way, near Jordan Lane.

Eden Robinson, who works next door to the dance studio, said the victim’s co-workers ran to their business for help.

“I heard my co-workers calling 911. I went next door to take a look. I worked in a hospital for 17 years and thought maybe I could be of help,” Robinson said. “I thought if everything was under control, I would leave. Too many people in those type of emergencies can be more of a hindrance than a help.”

But when Robinson looked inside the building, “the situation was anything but under control.

“I ran back to my work got gauze, bandages and gloves. I didn’t tell anyone what I was doing. Like I said, I didn’t want a crowd,” Robinson said.

Robinson said when she arrived the victim was going in and out of consciousness.

“I wrapped his head and held him until paramedics arrived,” she said.

Robinson said “I felt good I could do something to help. It made me realize we are all breakable. We need to be prepared. Everyone should take a first-aid course.”

The victim was airlifted to Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital.