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Fugitive who allegedly staged bizarre ‘Goonies’ house fish caper, rescued by Coast Guard after getting stranded aboard stolen yacht

Fugitive who allegedly staged bizarre ‘Goonies’ house fish caper, rescued by Coast Guard after getting stranded aboard stolen yacht

United States Coast Guard personnel rescued a man from a stolen yacht Friday, a man whom authorities say filmed himself leaving a dead fish at the home featured in the "The Goonies" movie on Wednesday, multiple outlets reported.

Jericho Wolf Labonte, 35, was being held in U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement custody at the Northwest Detention Center in Washington as of Saturday, KGW 8 reported.

In addition to stateside charges related to the alleged fish incident and alleged theft of the P/C Sandpiper yacht, Labonte is also a fugitive wanted by Victoria police in British Columbia in Canada.

Heroic, happenstance water rescue

The U.S. Coast Guard, maritime guardians of the Pacific Northwest, were conducting a training mission at the mouth of the Columbia River when they received a mayday call for help from the P/C Sandpiper yacht, the organization reported on its Twitter account.

Motored life boats were launched and air crews arrived to find the P/C Sandpiper "foundering in the surf." A rescue swimmer was dispatched because the surf was too dangerous to rescue Labonte by boat.

A rescue swimmer recovered Labonte after the P/C Sandpiper capsized. Labonte was flown to Coast Guard Base Astoria for treatment.

The newly-minted rescue swimmer who saved Labonte is Aviation Survival Technician 3rd Class John "Branch" Walton. Branch was a student of the Advanced Helicopter Rescue School. He graduated along with his classmates just hours later, the United States Coast Guard News reported. As a rescue swimmer, Labonte was Walton's first save.

The theft of the P/C Sandpiper

The 20-ft yacht's owner lives in Warrenton, Oregon, and had reported the vessel missing on Friday, according to Central Oregon Daily.

Bizarre vandalism at "Goonies" home

Wednesday, two days before the incident with the yacht, Labonte was suspected of leaving a dead fish on the front porch of the home featured in Steven Spielberg's "The Goonies."

Labonte filmed himself placing the fish and dancing around the property, also posting the video to social media, Astoria Police Chief Stacy Kelly told Central Oregon Daily.

Canadian fugitive wanted for harassment, more

The Victoria Police Department in British Columbia said Labonte is wanted on warrants for criminal harassment, mischief, and failure to comply. The department posted a photo of Labonte on January 19, asking for the public's assistance in locating him. It also warned people not to approach him as he "could pose a risk to public safety."

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