Body discovered in river Friday identified as Schenectady man

PHOTOGRAPHER: Peter R. Barber

Emergency response officials investigate the area where a body was found Friday in the Mohawk River.

SCHENECTADY – The body pulled from the Mohawk River Friday has been identified as a Schenectady man and his death is not considered suspicious, police said Monday.

Police identified the man as Ronald Johnson, 40 and his cause of death was determined to be drowning, police spokesman Sgt. Jeffrey McCutcheon said. He did not say when Johnson is believed to have drowned.

Johnson’s body was discovered Friday in the river near Riverside Park by local pastor Father Richard Carlino. Carlino said he was driving his pontoon boat on his day off when he spotted the body near a dock.

Police removed the body from the river shortly after 1 p.m. Friday and it was taken from the scene at 1:40 p.m.