News release CCSO. It was after dark when the Coos County Sheriff’s Office Dispatch received the call of a man clinging to trees and his vehicle in the flood waters in the Myrtle Point area. This was the second call of the day of similar incidents. The victims of the first incident, which happened at 2:28 PM were rescued by a neighbor after they drove their vehicle in to flood waters near of the Coquille River near the intersection of Catching Creek and Old Broadbent Road west of Myrtle Point. Myrtle Point Fire and Sheriff’s Office personnel were responding to the incident but a citizen was able to get there from the flooded side and assisted the 2 occupants in getting to safety. The two individuals were identified as 61 year old Bradley Shannon and his wife Patricia. They were taken back to their residence on Old Broadbent Road by the neighbor that helped them. They were reported to be cold and wet but with no other injuries. Their vehicle, a 1994 Ford Ranger pickup had to be abandoned and is still in the flood waters. The call after dark was different. At about 6:30 PM, a call was received by the 911 Center of a second vehicle trapped in the flood waters near the previous one. Myrtle Point Fire personnel attempted to get to a stranded motorist but the water was too deep even for the large fire trucks. The man, Richard Andrew Parker, 65 Y.O.A. of Myrtle Point, tried to take his full sized Toyota truck through the floodwaters on Catching Creek Road toward Myrtle Point. Just before reaching the intersection with Old Broadbent Road the current floated his truck and washed him into the trees and fence line along the road. This incident was at the same place the previous incident occurred at and if it had been a little earlier in the evening and lighter he might have seen the hood of the other truck that had been abandoned earlier in the day, and changed his path. Mr. Parker managed to get out of the mostly submerged truck and get on top of it. Fortunately his cell phone still worked and he was able to call for Help. When the Coos County Sheriff’s Office 911/Dispatch Center received the call, they called out Myrtle Point Fire and Rescue, and the Coos County Sheriff’s Marine units. The Marine units launched their rescue boat at the Bryant Boat Ramp in Myrtle Point and began working their way up the Coquille River through the dark of night and debris filled, swollen flooded river. A short time later the man and his vehicle were located The Marine units attempted to find a way through the tree line separating the roadway and the river. Punching through at the most open spot they got closer to the vehicle to assess the situation. The Marine units (two of the county’s most experienced) soon found themselves struggling as the flood waters took hold of their vessel and wedged it against rocks and trees near the vehicle. They made their vessel safe and then began assessing the predicament. It took some time to find anchor points in the flood to place safety lines. After using an apple tree, a telephone pole, and finally a strong fence post the Marine units were able to carefully back the vessel into an area that was close enough to extract Mr. Parker. Mr. Parker was extracted and safely on board the boat with rescue personnel at about 8:30 PM, 2 hours after he first called 911. Mr. Parker was taken in the boat back to the boat ramp in Myrtle Point where he was check by Myrtle Point Fire and the ambulance crew. Both incidents are still under investigation by the Coos County Sheriff’s Office. The Coos County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind citizens not to drive into floodwaters, to be extremely careful traveling any of the flooded areas in Coos County. These two incidents demonstrate how extremely dangerous it is crossing any roadways that experience flooding. These 2 incidents put a number of rescue personnel at grave risk in bringing these people to safety. The Sheriff’s Office is asking that people just use common sense when encountering water on the roadways and if you cannot clearly see the roadway do not attempt to cross flooded roadways. It only takes just a few inches of water to sweep a vehicle away.
