A Victoria, BC man is in US custody following an odd series of events involving a stolen boat, a dead fish, and a cult classic film..Victoria police said in January that Jericho Labonte, 35, was wanted BC-wide on charges of criminal harassment, mischief, and three counts of failure to comply..“It is believed that Jericho Labonte is travelling to the Victoria area and that he may pose a risk to public safety,” police said at the time..Fast forward to February 1, when Oregon’s Astoria Police Department (APD) said it received a call from a concerned citizen regarding Labonte, who had supposedly posted a video of himself on Facebook placing “a dead fish on the front porch of the Goonies’ house.”.The house is where 1985 cult classic The Goonies was filmed.. Labonte .The bizarre incident prompted local police to look for Labonte..Two days later and unbeknownst to authorities, Labonte was on film yet again after the US Coast Guard Pacific Northwest posted videos on Twitter of a dramatic rescue at the mouth of the Columbia River..Swells were too massive for the lifeboats to attempt a rescue so a rescue swimmer was lowered by cable from a helicopter. As the swimmer approached the yacht, a massive swell capsized the vessel, however the rescue swimmer was able to safely retrieve the individual.. Coast Guard rescueCoast Guard rescue .His identity still unknown to officials, the cold and wet man was flown back to the coast guard base in Astoria for evaluation and treatment..Upon seeing the videos, Port Security Chief Matt Hansen recognized the vessel and contacted the owner, confirming it had been stolen..Hansen then called police who, around the same time, were also receiving calls from citizens identifying the rescued person as Labonte..However, Labonte had been discharged from hospital before being identified, thus continuing the wild goose chase until later that evening when police located him at a warming shelter for the homeless 35 km south of Astoria..Seaside police, Oregon State police, and Clatsop County Sheriff took him into custody to face charges of theft, endangering another person, unauthorized use of a vehicle, and criminal mischief..It remains unclear if Labonte — who entered the US illegally — will be sent back to Canada to face charges he's wanted on in Victoria.
