San Jose man dies after falling from Oregon coast hiking trail
(KRON) — A San Jose man fell to his death while hiking along the Oregon coast, law enforcement officials said.
Richard Ehrhart, 69, of San Jose, was found dead on beach rocks 300 feet below a coastal trail near Natural Bridges on Sunday afternoon. The hiking spot is about 12 miles north of Brookings, Oregon. The first 911 call was made by a man who told dispatchers that he found a body while hiking the trail.
“911 Dispatch received information from the Brookings Police Dispatch, of a call from a person who had been hiking the coastal trail near Natural Bridges, about twelve miles north of Brookings. The caller relayed that he had seen a person on the rocks below him that appeared to be deceased,” the Curry County Sheriff’s Office wrote.
Oregon state troopers and sheriff’s deputies rappelled 300 feet down steep terrain to the victim. Investigators later found Ehrhart’s wife, Susan Kimura. The wife told the Sheriff’s Office that they had been hiking together, but were separated on the trail, so she returned to their car.
The wife said she was unaware that her husband had fallen, according to CCSO.
Oregon State Police is the lead agency of the death investigation. Police provided information to the Curry County District Attorney.
“We here at the Curry County Sheriff’s Office express our condolences to the family and friends of Richard Ehrhart. We also want to remind everyone of the dangers of hiking the coastal trails, and to please be safe.,” CCSO wrote.
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