News release Curry Co. Sheriff’s Office. On 10-09-2016 at about 1:46pm, Curry County Sheriffs Dispatch received a 911 call reporting a couple of boats that were attempting to cross the mouth of the Rogue River Bar while there were breaking waves across the entire mouth of the river. Marine and Search and Rescue Coordinator Sergeant Ted Heath responded to the South Jetty to assess the bar conditions. At about 2:03pm, Sergeant Heath watched a boat come across from the inside of the South Jetty, turn to go towards the North Jetty and saw the boat get rolled over by a large wave throwing the two subjects, Michael Miller of Brookings Oregon, and Bruce Walker from Gold Beach, into the breaking surf. Dispatch was notified to have the Coast Guard helicopter and Coast Guard Cutter to respond to the location while Sergeant Heath responded back to get the Sheriff’s Office patrol boat. Other Deputies responded to the South Jetty to assist and saw Miller and Walker clinging to the side of their capsized vessel. At about 2:14pm, Sergeant Heath responded to the mouth of the river along with off duty Deputy Jared Gray in the Sheriff’s Patrol boat to attempt the rescue of Miller and Walker. The bar conditions were too extreme for crossing out into the ocean where Miller and Walker were. Three local surfers, Luke Martinez, Rocky Burns and Drew Harper were just getting ready to go surfing when they witnessed the boat capsize and responded towards Miller and Walker on their surf boards. Martinez, Burns and Harper where successful in rescuing both Miller and Walker by swimming them back to shore on their surfboards. Both Miller and Walker had been in the water about fifty minutes by the time Martinez, Burns and Harper got them back to shore. Miller was transported by ambulance to Curry General Hospital where he was treated for hypothermia. Walker was attended to by Cal Ore Ambulance personal at the scene and was deemed to be okay.
