Girl Dies After Ocean Accident

An 11-year-old girl who had been walking along a jetty when high waves swept her into the Pacific has died.

Carrie Louise Spencer of Bandon died at Bay Area Hospital in Coos Bay at 12:20 a.m. Sunday, about 12 hours after the accident.

Carrie and her mother’s boyfriend, Timothy Ward Rohl, 34, were pulled into the ocean, along with the family dog. Rohl was able to cling to a rock and pull himself to safety, Bandon Police Sgt. Ron Wampole said.

Firefighters using Jet-Skis found the girl about a half hour later floating face down several hundred yards away, Wampole said.

Firefighters attempted to resuscitate Spencer while she was still in the ocean, until a Coast Guard helicopter arrived and lifted her aboard.

Rohl was treated and released from Southern Coos General Hospital.

The girl’s mother, Diane Louise Spencer, had been walking farther behind the group and was not involved in the accident. The family’s dog was found alive but later died of injuries, Wampole said.

Ocean swells were 8 to 10 feet high at the time of the accident, he estimated, with breakers washing completely over the end of the jetty. Ocean temperatures ranged between 58 and 60 degrees, he said. xxxx