News Release from: Clackamas Co. Sheriff's Office

Clackamas County Sheriff's Marine Patrol cites four for boating without floatation devices after river-rescue call

Posted: May 15th, 2008 5:42 p.m.

On Thursday, May 15, 2008 at 1:30 p.m., emergency personnel from Sandy Fire and the Clackamas County Sheriff's Marine Patrol responded to a report of four male rafters in distress in the frigid Sandy River.

This extensive emergency response led to the successful location of the four rafters. The four men had initially departed from the Dodge Park area of the Sandy River, and capsized while attempting to navigate what is referred to as the "pipeline" portion of the Sandy River.

All four rafters were found safe; they had rescued themselves after being swept downriver after their flimsy rafts began taking on water.

The water temperature of the Sandy River is reportedly to a bone-chilling 42 degrees. In addition, the Sandy is running high and swift -- hazardous conditions for recreating on any body of water in Clackamas County.

The four subjects fortunate enough to survive this ordeal today were each cited for lacking a personal flotation device -- a $242 citation.

The 4 subjects cited are identified as:


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Contact Info: Jim Strovink, Detective