Yamhill Co. Sheriff's Office
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News Release
Wheatland Ferry Drowning - 07/30/21

On July 29, 2021 at about 5:18 pm Yamhill Communications received a 911 call from a cell phone which plotted in the area of the Wheatland Ferry. Due to a language barrier, YCOM attempted to transfer the call to the language line for translation assistance. The caller hung up during the transfer. After three attempts to call the original caller back and get them connected to the language line, YCOM notified a Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office patrol boat working on the Willamette River of the incomplete 911 call. Marine Safety Officer Jose Dominguez was able to contact the caller over the phone and located the caller with a group of people on the Marion County shoreline just north of the Wheatland Ferry landing, near the Willamette Mission State Park boat ramp. 

Marine Safety Officer Dominguez and Boat Captain Deputy Rob VandeBergh learned that a male had gone into the river and went under approximately 15 minutes prior and had not resurfaced. Additional resources were requested and Deputy VandeBergh and MSO Dominguez began a search from the patrol boat. They located the individual on the bottom of the river in approximately 13’ of water near the Willamette Mission Boat Ramp. YCSO staff with the aid of two good Samaritans were able to tie a rope around the victim and pull him to the boat. CPR was started on the boat and he was transported to the Yamhill County side of the Wheatland Ferry landing to waiting Fire and EMS personnel from Dayton Fire District and McMinnville Fire/EMS. Despite the efforts of responders, the male was pronounced deceased. He was identified as 22 year old Alfredo Perez-Mendez. Perez-Mendez has been residing in the City of Woodburn. The Marion County Medical Examiner’s Office responded to the scene, and with the aid of MSO Dominguez and the friends of Mr. Perez-Mendez his family living in Guatemala were notified. Mr. Perez-Mendez was not wearing a personal flotation device, and did not know how to swim.

The Yamhill County Sheriff’s Office would like to remind waterway users that the Willamette River has a strong current, and the shoreline along Willamette Mission State Park has a steep drop-off, where the river depth increases from approximately 5’ to approximately 12’ in a very short span.

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