July 21, 2020 4:15 p.m.

A Winston man drowned in the North Umpqua River on Monday night.

Sergeant Brad O’Dell of the Douglas County Sheriff’s Office said at about 8:00 p.m. 911 dispatchers received a report of a man who was in the river and not breathing. O’Dell said the callers directed responders to the 900 block of Echo Drive off of North Bank Road.

When deputies arrived, they found the man on an island where CPR was being performed by bystanders. The deputies were able to get the man by boat and bring him to shore to a waiting ambulance.

The man was identified as 36-year old David Ham of Winston. He was taken to Mercy Medical Center where he later died.

O’Dell said deputies learned that Ham was swimming when he began to yell for help and went under water. The Douglas County Medical Examiner’s Office is investigating the death.

DCSO was assisted by Douglas County Fire District No. 2, Bay Cities Ambulance, and the Glide Fire Department.