Brookings Police Department received a report from a citizen Tuesday morning, November 11th, regarding the possibility of a vehicle off the roadway on U.S. Forest Service road 1107, at approximately the 8-mile marker.
Initially both the Winchuck Fire Department and Cal-Or Ambulance were immediately dispatched to the area including Harbor Fire, as Curry County Sheriff’s deputies responded to the area after hearing the situation over the radio.
Just before 9:00am, upon arrival to the scene, a Deputy determined that there was not a vehicle off the roadway as reported, however, just as the citizen caller reported that they could hear someone yelling for help, the Deputy could also hear someone yelling and screaming over the steep embankment, approximately 100 feet below the roadway.
It was unknown at this time, but it was believed that there may have been possibly two subjects over the embankment. Later determined there was only one person.
The victim could not be seen but could be heard yelling and screaming. It was determined that the Curry County Sheriff`s Office Search and Rescue rope team would be needed to safely reach the subject.
Just after 10:00am. a Search and Rescue member repelled down and located the single victim, identified as 45 year old Bruce Stacy of Reedsport, Or., in the water at the bottom of the embankment near the north side of the river.
Bruce, who had a broken leg, was verbally unresponsive to emergency personnel that had arrived to assist him, however, Bruce continued to struggle with the emergency personnel as they rendered aid to him, and he was ultimately restrained inside a stokes basket.
The Search and Rescue rope team then set up a rope system and pulled Bruce, and Search and Rescue volunteers back up to the roadway before being transported by Cal-Or Ambulance to Sutter Coast Hospital for treatment for his broken leg, hypothermia, and other injuries sustained during the incident.
Sheriff Deputies were also able to get Bruce`s dog, Nola, who had also been over the embankment, safely back to a patrol vehicle and was later taken to Wild Rivers animal shelter.
