Curry County Search & Rescues pulled a 25-year-old man from the Chetco River on Monday. | Photo courtesy of Curry County Search & Rescue

From the Curry County Sheriff's Office:

Monday, January 29, 2024 at about 4:26pm, the Curry County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch center received a 911 call reporting a subject stranded on a small gravel island in the middle of the Chetco River near Steele Bridge, about eighteen miles east of Brookings, Or.

The caller, who was in Gold Beach at the time and responding, stated he had got a call from friends telling him that Brookings resident, twenty-five-year-old Justice Perrin and jumped into the swollen river to save his dog that had gone in the river and was not able to get out. The caller said that Perrin had been stranded for about three hours in the middle of the river.

Sheriff’s Marine and Patrol Deputies responded, while Search and Rescue members were paged to respond as well. A Patrol Deputy arrived first and spotted Perrin just below the South Fork of the Chetco River on a small gravel bar in the middle of the river. Eight SAR members started arriving and devised a safe plan to rescue Perrin and his dog. It was reported that the dog had already swam back across the river and was safe.

At about 7:20pm, well after dark, SAR member Ryan McGinnis deployed his home-made pram boat and was able to maneuver his boat to Perrin and got Perrin back to safety. Cal Ore life Flight Ambulance crew had been asked to respond to make sure Perrin was ok and not suffering from hypothermia. Perrin declined medical assistance.

The great teamwork by our Dispatch, Patrol Deputies, Marine Deputy, and our SAR team was instrumental for all in a safe rescue.

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