PRESS RELEASE
A23-5229 SHOOTING INVESTIGATION
MARCH 8, 2023
At about 1514 hours of March 8th, 2023 Cowlitz 911 received a call from a resident in the 7200 block of Spirit Lake Hwy, Toutle, reporting they had shot a subject. The resident, a juvenile, advised dispatch that an unwanted male subject had come onto the property and was behaving erratically. The male subject, who was not known to the resident, was reportedly harassing the resident’s dogs. The caller reported they were threatened by the male subject.
Deputies with the Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office responded to the scene, with officers from the Castle Rock Police Department assisting. The male subject was found to be deceased. Detectives with the Sheriff’s Office executed a search warrant and processed the scene for evidence.
This investigation is ongoing and no further information is available for release at this time.
A23-4944
KALAMA RIVER RESCUE
MARCH 6, 2023
At about 1252 hours of March 5th, 2023, Cowlitz County deputies were dispatched to a report of a subject who was stranded on a ledge above the Kalama River near Fallert Rd. Deputies learned the subject, identified as Nathan J. Mueller, age 44, of Vancouver, had been looking for his dog, and now he and his dog were both stranded on the ledge.
Deputies responded to the area and could hear Mueller yelling. He was located in a heavily timbered, deep ravine above the fast-moving Kalama River. Mueller and his dog were on a ledge with a sheer drop-off of approximately 100 – 150 feet. The rescue was further hampered by steep terrain and slick mud in the area between deputies and Mueller. With the risk of hypothermia due to cold weather and rain, and the risk of the subject falling, deputies moved quickly to rescue the subject and his dog.
Deputies James Doyle and Landen Jones, both military veterans with prior rappelling experience, prepared ropes and gathered medical supplies to assist in the rescue. Deputy Doyle began to rappel to the stranded subject while Deputy Jones belayed. Deputy Doyle was able to rappel and scramble down an overgrown landslide to reach Mueller and his dog.
Deputy Doyle then used a makeshift harness to retrieve the dog from the ledge. At this time, a member of the Clark County Fire Rope Rescue Team arrived and provided further assistance. Cowlitz County Fire District 5 also responded to the area to assist. These emergency responders were able to eventually move Mueller and his uncooperative dog to safer ground, despite a series of near falls.
Based on the quick thinking, technical experience, and bravery demonstrated by these emergency responders, Mr. Mueller and his dog were brought to safety without injury or delay.
The Cowlitz County Sheriff’s Office commends the efforts of Deputy James Doyle and Deputy Landen Jones. You make us proud.