Account
Mar 12, 2025
Mar 13, 2025
Deric
Johnson
52
52
67 inches
175 lbs
White / Caucasian
Male
A heroic act took a tragic turn on a Sunday afternoon at the mouth of the Yachats River on the Central Oregon Coast, leading to the disappearance of 52-year-old Deric "Sean" Johnson. On August 18, 2024, emergency services received reports of a woman and her two sons in distress in the water at the south end of the Yachats State Recreation Area. Johnson, a known member of the Yachats community, entered the water in an attempt to rescue them. Despite being a strong swimmer, the powerful ocean currents proved to be too much, and he was swept away. While the woman and her children were successfully rescued by the Yachats Fire Department with the help of a bystander, Johnson disappeared from sight. Firefighters reported intermittent visual contact with an object in the water, but they were unable to positively identify it as Johnson due to the distance. The U.S. Coast Guard, along with ground crews and two lifeboats, launched a search for Johnson after the initial rescue, but he was not found. The Oregon State Police lists Deric Sean Johnson as a missing person, noting his last contact was on the day of the attempted rescue. The incident was one of three separate drowning-related tragedies that occurred in Oregon over that heartbreaking weekend. The case serves as a somber reminder of the dangers of the ocean and the selflessness of individuals who risk their lives for others.
Aug 18, 2024
Yachats
Oregon
Lincoln County
Yachats
No
165546
Oregon State Police - Newport Area Command
Newport
Oregon
Lincoln County
97365
52 Northeast 73rd Street, Oregon
5412655354
State
Law Enforcement
SP24279355
Oregon State Police - Newport Area Command
Brown
Brown
Brown
05/26/2026
