A man stole a $160,000 yacht that ended up capsized in heavy surf and rough seas, which rolled the boat into the Columbia River between Washington and Oregon. Jericho Labonte, 35, was very lucky as the Coast Guard rescued him.
The Coast Guard received a Mayday from the Master of the P/C Sandpiper yacht and headed out the yacht. A rescue swimmer had to enter the water to save him. Labonte was flown to Coast Guard Base Astoria in Oregon, where he was treated for mild hypothermia and transported to an area hospital.
“[T]he aircrews arrived on scene to find the vessel floundering in the surf!” the U.S. Coast Guard wrote on Twitter. “The surf made rescue by boat dangerous, so the aircrew decided to lower the rescue swimmer and have the owner enter the water for rescue. As he entered the water the vessel capsized, but the rescue swimmer was able to safely recover the individual. He was flown back to Coast Guard Base Astoria, where EMS was waiting to evaluate and treat the man.”
Labonte left the hospital before he could be arrested, but they found him on Friday and took him into custody.
Labonte was arrested, but not only for stealing the boat. He was also wanted for placing a dead fish on the porch of the house used in the Goonies in 1985. Labonte filmed himself leaving the fish. Police searched for him and recognized him two days later when he was rescued.
This is a wild rescue:
(2/4)…who launched motor life boats from STA Cape Disappointment, the air crews arrived on scene to find the vessel floundering in the surf! The surf made rescue by boat dangerous, so the aircrew decided to lower the rescue swimmer and have the owner enter the water for rescue… pic.twitter.com/z92WvzpTG9
— USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) February 3, 2023
According to police, he was wanted on charges of theft, endangering another person, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and criminal mischief.
Labonte is also wanted in British Columbia, where he is from, on charges of criminal harassment, mischief and failure to comply. Those charges are from last fall, police said.
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There’s a fugitive warrant out for Labonte but Canada doesn’t want him back. Can’t imagine why.
We’re not getting their best.
(4/4) All in all, it’s just another day for the Coast Guard men and women who spend their days #ProtectingThePNW
Photos and video by AET1 Kyle Turcotte pic.twitter.com/WNUnAe5OF5
— USCGPacificNorthwest (@USCGPacificNW) February 3, 2023
wpDiscuz
