What did Jericho Labonte do? Wanted Victoria man arrested following bizarre Oregon incident

Jericho Labonte, who the Coast Guard rescued on the morning of Friday, February 3, was arrested by authorities later in the day. According to police, Labonte has been charged with theft, endangering another person, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and criminal mischief.

The 35-year-old was rescued after his yacht capsized in the rough and turbulent waters of the Columbia River, which flows through the areas of Oregon and Washington before opening up to the Pacific Ocean. He was saved by a rescue swimmer who braved the threatening surf and was transported to the Coast Guard Base Astoria in Oregon.

According to authorities, Jericho Labonte was treated for mild hypothermia at the base and transported to an area hospital for further treatment. However, the yacht involved in the incident was reported stolen later in the day on Friday.

Police identified the suspect as Labonte from official photos from the rescue and a video that he had himself posted of him dancing around an Oregon house featured in the 1985 movie The Goonies on February 1. Jericho Labonte had also allegedly left a dead fish on the porch of the same house.

By the time authorities traced Labonte to the area hospital, he had been released from there already. Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly told the Associated Press:

"It's been a really odd 48 hours.”

The Astoria Police Department updated that Labonte was arrested on Friday evening.

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The US Coast Guard posted multiple dramatic videos of Jericho Labonte's rescue

On Friday morning, two Coast Guard aircrews were conducting a training mission at the mouth of the Columbia River when they received a MayDay broadcast from the master of the P/C Sandpiper, as per tweets posted by the official Twitter account.

This led to a dramatic and dangerous rescue mission, as the river was too turbulent for a rescue by boat. The aircrews notified the watchstanders in the Sector Columbia River, who sent motor lifeboats from STA Cape Disappointment.

However, due to the threatening surf, the aircrew decided to lower the rescue swimmer and enter the water for rescue. In several tweets, the U.S. Coast Guard wrote:

"After notifying watchstanders at Sector Columbia River who launched motor life boats from STA Cape Disappointment, the air crews arrived on scene to find the vessel floundering in the surf! The surf made rescue by boat dangerous, so the aircrew decided to lower the rescue swimmer and have the owner enter the water for rescue."

Though the vessel capsized, the rescue swimmer safely recovered the individual, who was later identified as Jericho Labonte. EMS treated him at Coast Guard Base Astoria and then transported him to a local hospital.

Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly said that Labonte was also wanted in British Columbia on previous charges of criminal harassment, mischief, and failure to comply.