A Watsonville man who died after being trapped by storm debris along a Monterey Bay beach has been identified as David Koons, 64. The incident occurred at Sunset State Beach near Watsonville, where a large wave washed debris ashore around 11:30 a.m. on December 23, according to the Sheriff’s Office. Koons was taken to a hospital but was later pronounced dead, said sheriff’s spokesperson Ashley Keehn.
The high surf was attributed to recent storms that battered the coast last week, which also led to the partial collapse of the Santa Cruz Municipal Wharf. Santa Cruz County officials are currently evaluating whether it makes sense to rebuild the iconic Santa Cruz Wharf after part of it fell into the ocean during the storm. Cleanup efforts continue at the Santa Cruz Wharf following last week’s collapse during high tide.
Santa Cruz Wharf’s high tide collapse
Photos taken about an hour before the incident were captured by Mark Woodward of Native Santa Cruz. Large piles of debris have been staged by the launch ramp, and several of the larger boats that were damaged have been pulled out of the water and placed in dry dock.
Some boats still display decorations from the recent lighted boat parade. Damage estimates are reportedly $20 million or higher. Mark Woodward’s photos show maintenance workers looking out over the water around 11:45 a.m., just an hour before the collapse occurred.
A disaster fund for the city has been established to aid in recovery efforts.
