[OSMB-News] News Release -Collaborative Effort Used in John Day River Body Recovery

[Ashley Massey]

For Immediate Release	Date: Friday, August 28, 2009

Collaborative Effort Used in John Day River Body Recovery
	
	A dramatic boat crash on the John Day River near LaPage State
Park happened on August 22, in the early evening, as a high-speed boat
lost control, ejecting the passenger and boat operator.  It was later
determined that alcohol was involved and a contributing factor to the
boat crash. 
The operator, Gerald Fitzpatrick, age 38, and his passenger, Marie
Riehl, age 43, both from Sandy, went into the water.  Reihl did not
resurface.  Other boaters were able to assist Fitzpatrick from the
water, who suffered minor injuries and was taken to the hospital.  He
was later booked into the Northern Oregon Regional Correctional Facility
(NORCOR) in The Dalles and later posted bail.
	Fitzpatrick and Riehl were riding on a 21-foot Aliminator boat
on the John Day River near the mouth of the Columbia River, in Sherman
County.  
	Sherman County Sheriff’s Office, Oregon State Police Troopers
from Sherman and Gilliam Counties, Klickitat County Sheriff’s Office,
Skamania County Sheriff’s Dive Team and the Army Corps of Engineers
worked collectively to try to locate the victim and recover the boat and
debris.  The boat was recovered on Sunday, August 23rd.  The dive team
was unable to locate the victim.  The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office
Dive Rescue Team was called to assist in the search.  Boat crash
reconstructionists were also called in to assist in the accident
investigation.
	The Klamath County Sheriff’s Office is equipped with a special
boat with instrumentation that aids in locating objects underwater,
called side-scan sonar.  The Klamath County Dive Rescue Team has
recovered dozens of drowning victims’ bodies since obtaining the
equipment in the early 2000’s with side-scan sonar technology. 
Because of potentially dangerous river hazards and conditions, using
this technology helps reduce risk to divers and other rescue personnel.

	By Monday, August 28, the Klamath County Dive Rescue Team
arrived on scene.  After locating the victim with side scan sonar, it
took only nine minutes to recover her body.  Reihl’s death was ruled a
drowning.
	Fitzpatrick was indicted for Criminally Negligent Homicide,
Second-Degree Manslaughter and Boating Under the Influence of
Intoxicants.  
	The Oregon State Marine Board, the agency responsible for
obtaining statistics on boating-related accidents and fatalities in
Oregon, salutes the tremendous effort put forth from Washington and
Oregon law enforcement agencies and the assistance from the Army Corps
of Engineers.  It’s important to rescue boaters in distress and when
incidents turn tragic, recover them as quickly as possible, so friends
and family can have closure.  Although sometimes difficult, law
enforcement use their training, experience and technology to the best of
their abilities.
	In Oregon, 30 percent of boating fatalities (passengers and
operators alike) involve alcohol or other intoxicants.  It’s important
to not operate any machinery, car or boat, when impaired.  Lower
inhibitions, impaired judgment and slower reaction times are effects of
alcohol intoxication which can be measured with breath testing
instrumentation and performing field sobriety tests.
	For more information about boating safety, statistics and
boating under the influence of alcohol, visit
www.boatoregon.com/OSMB/safety/safety.shtml.
###

Photos are available.  Contact Wendy McCoin at 503-378-2633 or
wendy.mccoin at state.or.us. 


Ashley A. Massey
Public Information Officer
Oregon State Marine Board
503-378-2623
503-378-8587 ext. 82623
ashley.massey at state.or.us
www.boatoregon.com
www.twitter.com/marineboard

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