Man Dies After Saving Dogs at Jetty in Ocean Beach

by on January 10, 2019 · 4 comments

in Ocean Beach

Lifeguards rescuing Owens off jetty. Screen grab from NBC7

The man rescued off the OB Jetty by lifeguards Wednesday has died, reports the San Diego Fire Rescue-Department and County Medical Examiner’s Office today, Thursday, Jan. 10.

Identified as Gregg Owens, the man was rushed to UCSD Medical Center intensive care unit but was later pronounced dead.

Reports have Owens – visiting from Nevada – entering the rough ocean around 2pm to retrieve his dogs. He did save the dogs but he was carried back out by waves and slammed into the rocks of the jetty.  Bystanders saw that he was face-down in the surf and being dragged out to sea by strong currents.

When lifeguards on jet skis reached him, Owens was found face-down and unresponsive lodged into the rocks on the jetty,

Lifeguards and paramedics performed CPR on him for about 10 minutes as he was rushed to the hospital. He was believed to be in his mid-50s to early 60s.

Times of San Diego

CBS8

7SanDiego

10News

{ 4 comments… read them below or add one }

Frank Gormlie January 11, 2019 at 12:45 pm

Gregg Owens was 64 and a retired paramedic from Henderson, Nevada. He was visiting San Diego with his wife. Both of his dogs, believed to be named Gracie and Buddy, survived. Daily Mail https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-6582451/Tourist-64-dies-San-Diego-beach-saving-dogs-high-surf.html

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Frank Gormlie January 11, 2019 at 1:52 pm

Two San Diego Seals lacrosse players were rescued Thursday from Ocean Beach after jumping off Sunset Cliffs, the team confirmed to NBC 7.

The yet-to-be-identified players were the two men in their 20s who jumped from the Arches around 10:45 a.m., San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokeswoman Monica Munoz said. https://www.nbcsandiego.com/news/local/San-Diego-Seals-Player-Rescued-After-Jumping-Off-Sunset-Cliffs-504181751.html

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Stacie Evans January 4, 2020 at 4:47 pm

Ok, dogs can swim, should just leave them alone they will swim ashore, who lived? It was the dogs, the heroics was not needed, and it cost a good man his life, pray for the man and his family,

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Geoff Page January 6, 2020 at 1:20 pm

Have to disagree with you there Stacie. I went surfing one day at Dog Beach and I hopped on a rip tide going out. I encountered a pit bull paddling for all he had against the current. I grabbed his collar and took him back to where he could stand. He clearly would have drowned without help. I then went back out and came across his owner who was also drowning and I pulled her onto my board. Once she could talk, her first question was “Did you see my dog?”

This was a sad death but it was a very noble way to die, saving lives.

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