Lake County Deputy Pronounced Brain Dead, Stays On Life Support

CHICO - The Lake County Deputy Sheriff swept out to sea off the Mendocino coast with his 11-year-old son has been declared brain dead, but will stay on life support to help others with his donated organs, according to the Lake County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities say at 2:40 p.m. Thursday, doctors at Enloe Medical Center in Chico, California determined that Lake County Sheriff’s Deputy Jake Steely had suffered irreversible brain damage and pronounced him brain dead.

Steely, a nine year law enforcement veteran at both the Lakeport Police Department and the Lake County Sheriff’s Office, had chosen to be an organ donor, according to the department.

With his family’s approval, authorities say Steely remains on life support so that his organs may be donated this week.

Steely was swept into the ocean with his 11-year-old son while visiting the Mendocino Coast on Monday.

Also on Patch: Swept Into The Ocean, Lake County Deputy Now In Critical Condition

According to information provided on a GoFundMe account set up to help the family, the deputy was unconscious when he was removed from the water. His son was treated and released from a Mendocino Hospital.

The Lake County News reports authorities have not said whether Steely and his son were swept into the water by a wave or if he went into the water to save the boy.

The News says the two were reported to have been about 100 feet offshore when they were rescued.

The deputy was airlifted to Enloe Hospital in Chico, California to their Neurological, Trauma, Surgical, Intensive Care Unit for additional treatment.

According to information provided, Deputy Steely is survived by his wife, Lynda Steely; children, Alexsandria Calbreath, Braiden Wayment, Tori Wayment, Nia Steely and Ty Steely; brother, Caleb Steely and David Laird; sisters, Anna Mix, Leabeth York, Abigail Steely, Becky Steely and Deborah Langley; Parents Luke and Karen Steely; grandmother, Marian Steely.

Cards and condolences are being accepted at the Lake County Sheriff’s Office at 1220 Martin Street, Lakeport, CA 95453.

For those wanting to make a donation to assist the Steely family during this tragic time, the GoFundMe account can be used. It has raised a little over $17,000 in donations when checked at noon on Friday.

A “Dep. Jake Steely Family” account has also been opened at Mendo-Lake Credit Union in Lakeport.

-image via Lake County Sheriff's Office