UPDATE: 9 p.m.:
More information from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office:
On 9-2-2018, at 1907 hours, Darcey Prior reported an adult female was crushed by a log on shore, near a cove in the Jones Valley area. Deputies from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Unit responded towards the scene. An unidentified white male adult on a PWC met the deputies at the Pit River Bridge and led them to the north side of Woods Island.
The 37 year old white female (from Redding, CA.) was located on the shore at the water’s edge. The victim was receiving CPR from citizens that were in the immediate area when the incident happened. Deputies arrived on scene and took over CPR. The victim was moved to a Sheriff’s Office patrol boat and transported to Mariners Point for Life Flight extraction. County Fire and AMR personnel arrived on scene, and the victim was declared deceased prior to the helicopter arriving. The Shasta County Coroner responded and took custody of the victim.
On 9-3-2018, deputies from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Unit, along with a Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Coroner Investigator, conducted further follow-up into the death investigation at Woods Island, on the Pit River Arm of Shasta Lake. Deputies learned of additional witnesses to the incident and conducted interviews.
The victim, Timothy Williams (43 years old), John Hoeppner (42 years old), Caroline Lewis (42 years old), Christopher Wynia (22 years old), Nicholas Lendman (40 years old) and Darcey Prior (41 years old) were all together in the area of Woods Island. All named persons talked about going log rolling prior to the incident. The victim, Hoeppner, Lewis, Wynia, Lendman, Prior and Williams got in Williams’ boat and went to the north side of Woods Island. Wynia and Lendman got out of the boat and went to the top of the embankment where the log was resting. Wynia and Lendman attempted to roll the log down the hill, but they were having difficulties. The victim and Lewis got off the boat and went onto the island to help Wynia and Lendman. The victim and Lewis were well to the right of the log’s intended path to the water. As the victim and Lewis started to go up hill, Wynia and Lendman were able to dislodge the log and roll it down the hill.
The large log struck stumps and large rocks on the way down the embankment which changed the log’s path. Lendman and Wynia yelled at the victim and Lewis to warn them. Lewis was able to move from the log’s path, but the victim could not. The large log struck the victim causing life-ending injury.
This incident was a tragic event. The victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.
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Shasta County Sheriff’s Office press release:
On 9-2-2018, at 1907 hours, Darcey Prior reported an adult female was crushed by a log on shore, near a cove in the Jones Valley area. Deputies from the Shasta County Sheriff’s Office Boating Safety Unit responded towards the scene. An unidentified white male adult on a PWC met the deputies at the Pit River Bridge and led them the north side of Woods Island.
The Victim, a 37 year old white female (from Redding, CA) was located on the shore at the water’s edge. The Victim was receiving CPR from citizens that were in the immediate area when the incident happened. Deputies arrived on scene and took over CPR. The Victim was moved to a Sheriff’s Office patrol boat and transported to Mariners Point for Life Flight extraction. County Fire and AMR personnel arrived on scene, and the Victim was declared deceased prior to the helicopter arriving. The Shasta County Coroner responded and took custody of the Victim.
Deputies were told that Timothy Williams (43 years old), John Hoeppner (42 years old) Caroline Lewis (42 years old) and the Victim were on the north side of Woods Island. Williams, Hoeppner, Lewis, and the Victim were attempting to roll a large log from the top of the island down to the water. The Victim had relocated downhill and off to the side from where the log was located. Williams, Hoeppner and Lewis were able to dislodge the log and roll it down the hill. The large log struck stumps and large rocks on the way down, which diverted the log’s path. The large log rolled over the Victim, causing life-ending injury.
The incident is still under investigation, and it is unknown if alcohol played a factor in the incident. The Victim’s identity is being withheld pending notification of next-of-kin.