Prineville man dies at Lake Billy Chinook after trying to retrieve disabled friend and their drifting boat

PRINEVILLE, Ore. (KTVZ) -- The Jefferson County Sheriff's Office said 56-year-old Vaughn Alan Waugaman of Prineville died Monday evening while swimming to retrieve his disabled friend, who had drifted away from the dock in their small aluminum boat.

Around 6:48 PM, Waugaman and a friend with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) were fishing from a small aluminum boat. After returning to the boat ramp, Waugaman stepped away to his vehicle. During that time, the boat drifted away from the dock with his friend still on board and unable to operate the vessel. To retrieve the boat, Waugaman entered the water and began swimming toward it. While doing so, he is believed to have suffered a cardiac event.

"He was struggling to try and get me. And that's when I jump out." Shawn told KTVZ News. "And I had a life vest on, and I jump in the water. That's when I was trying to try to pull the boat at the same time to get back. And that's when the people say, leave the boat, just go back to the shore. And they pull him out, that's when they was doing the CPR."

Witnesses said Waugaman dove in and swam about 20 feet toward the drifting boat, but began yelling, “Shawn, I can’t breathe, I can’t breathe!” before going under.

Two women and a man on a paddleboard rushed to help, telling Shawn to return safely to the dock. They dove repeatedly until they found Waugaman about 50 feet from shore, pulling him onto the paddleboard, and performing CPR until Jefferson County Fire & EMS and AirLink crews arrived. Despite their efforts, Waugaman could not be revived.

Emily Keermann, Shawn’s wife, said Vaughn was deeply loved in Prineville, "He was such a sweetheart. And he was a good guy. He was pretty good with the community. He brought, food boxes every time. And I want everybody to know that he is, like I said, he was a sweetheart, and I'm going to miss him. It broke my heart. And I feel bad for my husband and feel bad for his wife and everybody that knows him."

By the time the first responders arrived, the boat was taking on water and had partially sunk. A Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office Marine Deputy was able to retrieve the small aluminum boat before it sank and bring it to the boat ramp, where it was secured.

Waugaman leaves behind his wife, Jerra, extended family, and a Prineville community mourning the sudden loss of a man remembered for his kindness and generosity.