Nevada County sheriff's deputies are investigating the death of rock climber from Reno who apparently was killed in a fall near Donner Lake.
Justin Michael Saca, 21, formerly of Las Vegas, was a student at the University of Nevada, Reno, sheriff's Sgt. Ron Perea said Friday.
He apparently fell to his death from a popular rock-climbing area above the lake near old U.S. Highway 40, Perea said.
The accident occurred Wednesday sometime after 5 p.m. His body was discovered Thursday by another rock climber, Perea said.
"He was what they call a freestyle climber _ no equipment, no helmet, just climbing shoes and a chalk bag,"he said.
The body was taken to Auburn for an autopsy to determine the actual cause of death, but Perea said they suspected he died from the fall. The area was hit with heavy rain and lightning that evening.
