A Deputy from the Josephine County Sheriff’s Office attempted to stop a speeding motorcycle on Galice Road near Merlin, Oregon, just before 10:30pm late Sunday evening.
The motorcycle failed to stop and a pursuit ensued outbound on Galice Road towards the Rogue River corridor, continuing through Galice and past Almeda Park.
Near milepost 17, the rider lost control of the motorcycle and crashed off a cliff and into the Rogue River below.
Rural/Metro Fire and American Medical Response responded to the scene and the area below the crash was searched by a drone equipped with FLIR (camera with thermal imaging capabilities).
The Josephine County Marine Deputy and Rural/Metro personnel launched a raft at Almeda Park and searched the area below the crash site and along the riverbank to the Argo Recreation Site, however, the rider was not located.
Rafters located the rider’s body near Whiskey Creek Sunday morning, June 9th at approximately 10:00am.
The recovery of the rider was a coordinated effort between Bureau of Land Management River Rangers and Josephine County Search and Rescue and the rider was identified as 46 year old Brock Ewers of Grants Pass after the rider was recovered from the river.
At the request of the Sheriff’s Office, the Oregon State Police are investigating the crash of the motorcycle. Next of kin have been notified, and no further information will be released at this time.
