Man who allegedly left dead fish at Goonies’ home rescued from rough seas near stolen yacht

Authorities said unidentified rescuers pulled a man accused of planting a dead fish in an Oregon home featured in The Goonies out of rough waters Friday, moments after the yacht he was on rolled over.

The man, later identified as Jericho Labonte, 35, of Victoria, British Columbia, was taken into custody Friday after several people recognized him, Astoria, Oregon police said in a statement.

Police said authorities launched a crackdown on Labonte after he received a report on Wednesday that he had posted a video to Facebook showing him placing a dead fish on the porch of a residence. The house is named after The Goonies, a 1985 Steven Spielberg childhood adventure film in which the house appears.

But it wasn’t until the U.S. Coast Guard shared a video showing the dramatic rescue on Friday that authorities learned the boat in the video had been stolen and the person rescued was believed to be Labonte, police said.

A US Coast Guard vessel (left) moves to help a vessel in distress in the rough waters of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest on Friday.
A US Coast Guard vessel (left) moves to help a vessel in distress in the rough waters of the Columbia River in the Pacific Northwest on Friday.US Coast Guard via Twitter

Astoria police said Labonte is wanted on suspicion of theft, endangering another person, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and criminal disorderly conduct. According to the Associated Press, Astoria Police Chief Stacey Kelly said some of the allegations were linked to pre-existing cases in British Columbia.

Rescue video filmed from a US Coast Guard helicopter shows a man, later identified as Labonte, alone on a 35-foot vessel that has issued a distress signal and is taking on water, the Coast Guard said. The rescue swimmer is seen speeding towards them across the rough sea before a wave approaches, he falls overboard and the boat capsizes.

According to the video and statements from the Coast Guard, the lifeguard took on the wave, crawled under it and swam out to grab the suspect.

The agency said the helicopter crew lifted the two to safety.

Later that day, the head of security at the port of Astoria told police that the rescue boat had been stolen from the port. Several residents also called to say they recognized the rescued man as Labonte, police said.

By the time Labonte was identified as a suspect, police said he had been discharged from Columbia Memorial Hospital after being rescued.

Officers later arrested him about 17 miles south of Astoria in Seaside, Oregon, at a heating center for people in need of shelter, Astoria police said late Friday.

An attempt to contact Labonte was unsuccessful.

The rescue occurred about 6 miles west of the mouth of the Columbia River off the Oregon coast, according to the Coast Guard. Sea levels off the coast hit 20 feet on Friday, federal forecasters said.

The brave rescuer was identified late Friday as Air Survival Technician 3rd Class John “Branch” Walton. The agency said it was his first life saved as a rescue swimmer, and he graduated from the Coast Guard Helicopter Rescue High School later that day.

Astoria, a city on the Columbia River, is located about 100 miles northwest of Portland, Oregon.

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