WEEKEND EDITION
No Need For Quiet Hours P see
age
B1 Saturday August 17, 2019
www.currypilot.com
SERVING CURRY COUNTY SINCE 1946
Brookings, Oregon
Death case still open
Abandoned ship
Lost child found A
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regon State Police (OSP) are investigating the Aug. 13 death of a 23-year-old Brookings man following a high-speed chase that began in Brookings and ended at Pistol River State Park near Gold Beach. The chase began following a downtown traffic stop attempted by the Brookings Police Department at 11:21 p.m. “Our officer was passed by the suspect, who was driving recklessly at a very high rate of speed within the city limits,” Brookings Police Chief Kelby McCrae said. “This same officer attempted to conduct a traffic stop for this driving behavior.” The driver of the vehicle, later identified as Dylan James Smith, failed to stop and continued along U.S. Highway 101, said lawenforcement officials. Curry County Sheriff’s Office deputies assisted in the pursuit and deployed spike strips. According to an OSP report, the suspect’s vehicle turned into a pullout in Pistol River State Park, where the driver committed suicide. McCrae said his police officer did not discharge his weapon. OSP Capt. Timothy Fox confirmed that no other officers fired shots during the incident, which remained under investigation at press time.
This 37-foot boat partially sank on Friday morning in Bookings Harbor. Photo by Jeremy C. Ruark.
Boat partly down in Brookings Harbor Jeremy C. Ruark Pilot Editor
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37-foot boat, with no one aboard, partially sank at Brookings Harbor early Friday. “We got a report that at about 9 a.m. on Friday, a boat was sinking,” said Brookings Port Master Gary Dehlinger. He said no one was on the craft as it took on water. The harbor’s incident-response team was mobilized and responded to the scene. “We began working on getting it out of the water by pumping the water out of the boat and attempting to raise it with straps,” Dehlinger said. “The boat damaged the dock
during the sinking.” Dehlinger said he did not have at hand an estimated cost of the damages to the boat or the dock, or details about what caused her to sink. Jimmy Quella owns a boat directly across from the sinking and said he saw the craft partially underwater after being alerted to the incident by his neighbor. The neighbor had first called authorities. “There hasn’t been any activity on that boat for a good, long time,” said Quella. “Somebody was on it last week and fired it up, and that’s the only activity I’ve seen in 10 years.” Dehlinger said the boat owner had been notified and was heading to the harbor.
child missing in the early hours of Friday morning was located near the south bank of the Chetco River in Brookings. At 2:52 a.m., said officials of the Curry County Sheriff’s Office, the department received a call from the 6-year-old’s mother, Nicole Beaman, who was camping in a teepee with her husband and children at “At Rivers Edge RV.” Beaman reported that her autistic son had been missing for more than an hour and that her husband was searching for the boy. Apparently, the child had slipped out after the family went to sleep. He was wearing a tank top and shorts. Three sheriff’s deputies responded, along with a private security service, and began searching the park. A request was made to the Brookings Police Department for Officer Zane VanZelf and his K-9 dog Hulk. Curry County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue was called as well. Hulk tracked the child to a brushy area on the opposite side of South Bank Chetco Road from the RV park, where the scent was lost. Officer VanZelf then said he believed he heard a child cry out from somewhere in the area. Search and rescue members entered into the brushy woodland and at about 5:44 a.m., team members found the child and returned him to his father. Cal-Ore Life Flight responded to ensure the child’s health.
U.S. Coast Guard rescues kayakers near Gold Beach T
The Harbor Fire Department is located at 98069 West Denham Lane in Harbor. Photo by Jeremy C. Ruark
Harbor fire board reviewing concerns cited by volunteers Jeremy C. Ruark Pilot Editor The Harbor Rural Fire Protection District Board said it is reviewing concerns from about a dozen of the district’s volunteers regarding their chief. “The board has received a petition from 11 active volunteer firefighters, which indicates there is no confidence in Chief Robert Lar-
Index
Classifieds.................B5-10 Comics...................... B4-5 Crosswords...............B4 Obituaries.................A5
Weather HIGH LOW
son,” Harbor Rural Fire Protection District Public Information Officer Neville Hill said. “The board is conducting an investigation to determine what the basis of ‘no confidence’ is.”’ Hill said neither Chief Larson nor the board could comment about the firefighters’ petition or the investigation. More Concerns on Page A3
Past four days
Tues 75 56
Wed 76 58
Thurs 89 56
5-day forecast: Page B2
Call us 541-469-3123
Fri 85 56
Tides Sun HIGH 1:35 AM LOW 8:13 AM HIGH 2:37 PM LOW 8:27 PM
Fax 541-469-4679
Staff Report
he U.S. Coast Guard is cautioning kayakers heading to the ocean to be aware of a variety of risks. That advisory follows the rescue Aug. 13 of an adult and two children kayaking near Whale Cove in the Gold Beach area. “We received reports at about 1:30 p.m. that there were three kayakers in need of assistance and one of the three was hanging on the kayak,” said U.S. Coast Guard North Bend Sector Lt. Ryan Brown. “We sent a 47-foot motor lifeboat from Chetco River Station and also diverted a he- The Coast Guard rescue motorboat (center) as seen licopter from a training flight from the helicopter above Whale Cove near Gold near North Bend to the site of Beach. Photo courtesy Coast Guard. the three to Brookings. approaching weather condithe incident.” “One of the kayakers suftions, the tides and currents.” Brown said the three people fered mild hypothermia, but He encouraged ocean made it to shore on their own. nothing serious,” Brown said. kayakers to take survival As the helicopter arrived, a He said anyone considering gear such as life vests and a rescue swimmer was lowered kayaking in the ocean should locator beacon. “The beacons into the water and swam to realize the dangers. “This is will alert us to their location shore to help the kayakers the wild Pacific Ocean and you and the fact that they are in paddle out to the Coast Guard need to be prepared. Know the distress.” lifeboat. The boat transported
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