Accident Database

Report ID# 2446

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Accident Description

ERIK SKOOG, eskoog@newsreview.info July 25, 2007 GLIDE — A novice kayaker who became trapped underwater at Colliding Rivers Tuesday afternoon remains in critical condition at Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford this morning. Kristi Adams, 20, of North Platte, Neb., was using an inflatable kayak to travel down the North Umpqua River from Lone Rock ramp to Colliding Rivers ramp, according to a Douglas County Sheriff’s Office report. She was joined on the trip by Paul Gould, 22, of Glide, John Hopkins, 21, of Roseburg and Hopkins’ brother Jesse, 16.

Gould told deputies that the four of them were traveling down the river in their own kayaks. Adams, who was wearing a life jacket but had never been in a kayak before, went through a narrow spot, fell out of her kayak and became partially submerged, pinned against a log. “It doesn’t take much current to pin somebody against something like that. People underestimate the power of water, they really underestimate it,” said Dan Tilson, chief of the Glide Rural Fire District, which responded to the scene along with W.E.S.T. Ambulance. Adams’ companions were able to pull her from the water and take her to a nearby island by the time emergency responders arrived, said sheriff’s spokesman Dwes Hutson.

There was no indication how long she was underwater, but CPR was performed, Hutson said. “We know that her friends tried three or four times to remove her from the log before they were successful,” Tilson said. Firefighters and medical personnel were able to wade the river at a shallow area to get to her, and found she was unresponsive, Tilson said. Douglas County Fire District No. 2 arrived with a pontoon boat, and took Adams to a waiting ambulance. Adams was taken by ambulance to a helicopter waiting in a field a mile away between the Glide Middle and High schools. She was life-flighted to Rogue Valley Medical Center.

Date/Time of Release:  07/25/2007 - 10:40
Contact Person:  Dwes Hutson  
Contact Number:  541-440-4464  
Subject:  Kayaking Accident  
Date/Time of Incident:  07/24/2007 - 16:20
Incident Location:  North Umpqua River near Colliding Rivers, Glide, Oregon  
Case Number:  07-3553  
Victim:  Adams, Kristi / 20 yoa / North Platte, Nebraska
Mentioned:  Hopkins, John E / 21 yoa / Roseburg, Oregon
Mentioned:  Hopkins, Jesse E / 16 yoa / Roseburg, Oregon
Mentioned:  Gould, Paul L / 22 yoa / Glide, Oregon


On July 24th, at about 1620 hours, the 911 center received a call of a female involved in a kayaking accident on the North Umpqua River near Colliding Rivers. It was reported that the victim was stuck in the rapids and not breathing. The Sheriff's Office, Glide Fire, Fire District 2, and Medcom Ambulance were dispatched to the scene.

Kristi Adams was located on a small island in the river. She apparently was kayaking down the North Umpqua River with friends (John Hopkins, Jesse Hopkins, and Paul Gould). Kristi fell out of her kayak and was trapped by a log in the river. John, Jesse, and Paul were able to dislodge her and get her to the small island. It was reported to the Sheriff's Office that Kristi was not breathing and John Hopkins performed CPR until Kristi began breathing again.

Rescuers made their way to the location, loaded Kristi on a raft, and took her to shore. Mercy Flights was called to transport Kristi to Rogue Valley Medical Center in Medford. As of 1000 hours this morning, Kristi is in ICU in critical condition.

All subjects were wearing floatation devices.

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