Sheriff's Report - April 4, 2013

The Wahkiakum County Sheriff’s Office responded to two different rescue situations on Easter Sunday. Both involved the warm spring weather and the cold Columbia River.

Shortly before 2 p.m. on Sunday, the Sheriff’s Office received a 911 call about a 45-year-old woman that was stranded on a piling in the Columbia River. She had been kayaking close to a jetty near the mouth of Birnie Slough in the Cathlamet Channel. The kayak sunk and the kayaker was left clinging to the jetty. Her companion left to summon help.

Deputy Paul Carlson was dispatched to the area to try and locate the woman. A family of local boaters in the area heard the call and responded with a skiff and kayak to retrieve the woman from the jetty. They were Cindy and Bill Faubion, who have years of emergency response experience in the Cathlamet Fire Department, and a nephew.

At 9:47 p.m., Dispatch received a call regarding a couple that had been hiking earlier in the evening and were now stranded in the area of Three Tree Point. They hiked west from Skamokawa Vista Park and became trapped when the tide came in. The Sheriff’s Office launched their patrol boat at 10:30 p.m. Both hikers were found by the boat crew and returned safely to the Elochoman Slough Marina shortly after 11:20 p.m.

A statement from Public Information Officer Raedyn Grasseth read: “The Sheriff’s Office wants to remind everyone to enjoy the warm spring weather but remember to be aware of the dangers around you. On Sunday, the temperature of the Columbia River was 47 degrees. If you are going to be boating, please wear a life jacket. If you are hiking, we recommend dressing appropriately and being aware of the dangers around you, including the tides.”

Wahkiakum County law enforcement officers and emergency response personnel handled a variety of other reports during the past week, including:

March 26—11:01 a.m. A caller reported a case of attempted fraud. 11:48 a.m. The Cathlamet ambulance responded to treat a 68-year-old female experiencing low blood pressure and vomiting.

March 27—6:54 a.m. A caller reported that a large number of fishermen pulling boats were speeding on West Sunny Sands Road and requested a deputy patrol the area in the early morning. 9:23 a.m. A caller reported that a flock of wandering domestic geese was causing damage to his property. He was referred to Fish & Wildlife for information about his options. 10:10 a.m. A caller reported a case of malicious mischief. 10:55 a.m. A caller reported that someone had dumped paint on their property. 6:30 p.m. A caller reported that someone had broken into their apartment. A deputy investigated. 6:48 p.m. A caller reported being harassed. 7:33 p.m. A caller requested a welfare check on a youth who had posted suicidal threats on a social networking site. A deputy investigated and found that the youth was all right. 9:19 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance responded to treat a juvenile who had cut herself with a razor.

March 28—6:05 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance responded to treat a 50-year-old man with breathing difficulties. 8:59 a.m. A caller reported the theft of a chainsaw the previous night. The saw was valued at $200. 2:20 p.m. Mental health professionals responded to aid a teenager who was threatening suicide. 2:46 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance responded to aid a 58-year-old man with significant facial burns from an exploding can of soup. The man was transported by LifeFlight. 3:35 p.m. A water main break was reported at the Skamokawa Bridge. 4:06 p.m. A caller reported that cars were speeding on Clover Street every afternoon.

March 29—7:26 a.m. The Grays River ambulance responded to treat an 88-year-old woman who had fallen and was experiencing leg pain. 8:27 a.m. The Grays River ambulance responded to treat a 72-year-old woman who was experiencing severe pain and nausea. 11:25 a.m. A caller reported a case of possible identity theft. 1:27 p.m. A caller reported juveniles walking near the school property were carrying pry bars and bolt cutters. 2:24 p.m. A caller reported a suspicious person selling meat door-to-door. 3:08 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance responded to treat a 26-year-old woman who had fainted after experiencing vomiting and chest pain. 7:15 p.m. A caller reported that they had ordered meat from a door-to-door salesman, but when they called the number on the brochure he had given them they found that the salesman was no longer employed by the company. 10:29 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance responded to aid a 38-year-old man experiencing a diabetic emergency.

March 30—6:44 a.m. The Cathlamet ambulance responded to aid an 80-year-old woman with breathing difficulties. 10:27 a.m. The Grays River ambulance responded to aid a 77-year-old woman with back pain. 11:22 a.m. A caller reported that a driver was trespassing on their property and had almost hit their dog. 11:30 a.m. A caller reported that a downed tree was blocking both lanes of Hull Creek Road. 8:38 p.m. The Cathlamet ambulance responded to treat a 92-year-old woman who was dizzy and feeling faint.

March 31—10:16 a.m. A caller reported that their teenage foster child had run away. The teen was located at another residence. 1:05 p.m. A caller reported that a door had been kicked in on a vacant house. 1:51 p.m. Deputies responded to aid a kayaker who had become stranded on a piling. The woman was rescued by local residents. Further information is printed above. 7:14 p.m. One person was taken into custody during a traffic stop. 9:48 p.m. A caller reported that he and a companion had been hiking in Three Tree Point area west of Skamokawa and had become stranded by rising tides. Deputies rescued them using a department boat. Further information is printed above.

April 1—The Cathlamet ambulance responded to treat a 26-year-old woman experiencing chest pain and vomiting.