Beaverton woman dies after fall into Tumalo Creek, despite life-saving efforts

(Update: Sheriff's office releases name, information; info on Smith Rock rescue)

Second rescue effort at same time involves injured Smith Rock hiker

TUMALO, Ore. (KTVZ) – A Beaverton woman died after falling off a 15-foot embankment into Tumalo Creek Wednesday afternoon, Deschutes County sheriff’s deputies said.

Deputies, Sheriff’s Search and Rescue volunteers and Bend Fire & Rescue medics responded around 3:20 p.m. to the report of a woman in Tumalo Creek, Sergeant Jayson Janes said Thursday. An air ambulance also was called to respond to the scene, but was canceled, he added.

When deputies and other first responders revived, they found the woman, identified as Sook Hui Lee, 74, of Beaverton, had been removed from the creek and life-saving efforts were underway. Unfortunately, all life-saving efforts were unsuccessful, Janes said.

SAR volunteers from the mountain and swift-water rescue teams were used to remove Lee from the location, using a rope system to raise her from the embankment.

The Deschutes County Medical Examiner’s Office also responded to assist with the investigation. Janes said he could not at this time say whether the woman died of drowning or other injuries, pending further investigation, but it was determined that the woman fell off the embankment and landed in the creek.

“Lee’s death was not suspicious, as there was no evidence of foul play,” Janes said in a news release, adding that the incident remains under investigation.

On Wednesday, at the scene, Janes said, "A group of people had pulled an adult female out of the water and were performing life-saving efforts. Our office got here, along with paramedics, they did CPR and other life-saving efforts, but unfortunately they were unsuccessful."

Deschutes County Sheriff’s Search and Rescue crews were called to that scene around the same time that SAR also was informed of an injured hiker at Smith Rock State Park, Janes confirmed.

"With our resources being sent here, some of our deputies went to Smith Rock State Park with the Redmond paramedics," Janes said.

Around 3:35 p.m. Wednesday, the sheriff's office received a report of a hiker with an ankle injury on the Misery Ridge Trail, Janes said Thursday.

Deputies and Redmond Fire paramedics contacted the injured hiker, a 41-year-old Seattle woman and used a wheeled litter to get her down the trail. Once at the bottom of the canyon, they used a raft to get her across the river, and she was taken to the hospital by ambulance.