DCSO identifies Deschutes River drowning victim

(Update: Authorities ID drowning victim)

A 63-year-old Sunriver-area resident trying to swim across the Deschutes River was swept downriver and drowned Thursday night, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies were called to the Snowgoose Court boat launch in the area of the Oregon Water Wonderland 2 subdivision around 8:30 p.m., Lt. Mike Biondi said.

A caller reported her roommate, identified Friday as Allan Periman, had jumped into the river about 45 minutes earlier and had not been seen since, Biondi said.

Five deputies responded and began searching for Periman. Biondi said they learned he had been at the boat launch with his brother and decided to swim across the river, but got swept downriver and was struggling against the current, the lieutenant said.

The current carried Periman around a bend in the river and his brother lost sight of him. Biondi said the brother searched and could not find him, so returned to their home and told their roommate, who called 911.

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue was called in and about 15 SAR swift-water rescue members and divers responded to assist, along with two other deputies in a sheriff’s office jet boat.

Around 9:37 p.m., a deputy found Periman about 500 yards downriver from the boat launch, caught on a snag on the opposite side of the river. His body was recovered by SAR swift-water members, placed on the jet boat and brought back to the boat launch.

“Foul play is not suspected,” Biondi said in a news release, “but alcohol is believed to be a factor in this incident.”

The sheriff’s office asked anyone who might have witnessed the incident to contact dispatchers at 541-693-6911.

Sheriff’s Lt. William Bailey said late Friday afternoon that Periman’s family had been notified and added, “Our thoughts are with his family and friends.”