Accident Database

Report ID#69917

2019-07-22
accident date
Jon Van Valkenburg
victim
54
victim age
Rogue River
river
n/a
section
n/a
location
n/a
gage
n/a
water level
I
river difficulty
Equipment Trap
cause code(s)
Does not Apply
injury type(s)
One Boat Trip
factors
Private
trip type
Raft
boat type
status?
status

Description

Oregon doctor drowns in boating accident on Rogue River by Associated Press Tuesday, July 23rd 2019 MEDFORD, Ore. (AP) — A man who drowned Monday has been identified as 54-year-old Jon Van Valkenburg of Medford. The Jackson County Medical Examiner’s Office determined he died due to accidental drowning. The Mail Tribune reports Van Valkenburg had been fishing with his son in a raft on the Rogue River, according to marine patrol deputies. Deputies say he pulled on a rope to retrieve an anchor, became tangled in the rope and was pulled overboard. Investigators say the rope was wrapped around his hand and the current held him underwater. Fire personnel found Van Valkenburg submerged and unresponsive. He died at a hospital. Van Valkenburg was wearing an inflatable life jacket, but it was not inflated, deputies said. Van Valkenburg was a primary care physician who also served as the medical director of the urgent care clinic at the Providence Medical Group Medford Medical Clinic, Providence confirmed Tuesday. Information from: Mail Tribune