Coroner releases name of man who jumped into the Hoquiam River

A local man has been identified but his body is still missing.

Grays Harbor County Coroner Lane Youmans has released the name of the man who is missing and believed to have drowned when he attempted to elude local law enforcement by swimming across the Hoquiam River on Sept. 14.

Youmans said Hoquiam Police identified the man as 35-year-old Brooke Sandback of Hoquiam. An officer was trying to arrest him on a felony warrant.

Sandback was witnessed by several officers struggling as he swam across the river wearing a heavy coat and backpack. He slipped under the surface mid-way.

A search diver believes he came across the body on the river bottom a few days later, but was unable to recover it in the strong currents. A return to the area later was no more successful and the search was suspended.

Youmans said he will issue a presumptive death certificate at a later time.