SIDNEY — The body of the missing man who fell into the Great Miami River on April 27 has been found.
Shelby County Coroner Dr. David McDonald identified Tyson Goubeau, 28, of Sidney, as the deceased man who was found in the water.
According to Sidney Department of Fire and Emergency Services, firefighters and Sidney Police, were dispatched to the Great Miami River, in the area of the 300-block of Enterprise Avenue in Sidney, on a report a body was found in the river by a kayaker on Sunday, May 10, at 2:03 p.m.
Upon arrival, personnel located the body approximately 30 feet off the shore on a gravel bar in the river. On scene personnel requested a response from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Shelby County Coroner. The body was recovered from the river without incident and turned over to the Shelby County Coroner. The body was transported to the Montgomery County Coroner’s office for autopsy and identity confirmation.
The body was believed to be that of the missing person from the April 27, 2020, boating accident that occurred at the low-head dam near Custenborder Park approximately one-half mile upstream.
The kayaker who found the body, Eric Paulus, went out on the river Sunday specifically to look for the missing man. Paulus said he found the missing man’s body within a mile of the dam.
“The night he went missing, I went in my kayak from Roadside Park to Riverside Road to Vandemark Bridge looking for him, and couldn’t find him,” Paulus said. “I’ve been wanting to go (look again), but I have been working so much that I have’t had a chance until yesterday.”
Paulus said he is very familiar with the river, and as to where some holes and shallow areas are, so he felt he would know where to look. When Paulus first came upon the body, it was not easy to identify, as it appeared to be a rock covered with mud at first glance. But then he could see the clothes on the man’s body.
Paulus did not know Goubeau or his family, but wanted to help bring peace and closure.
“His family is at rest, I’m at rest, everybody who lives along the river is at rest, so that is the main reason I did it,” he said. “If it happened to me, I would want somebody to keep looking for me.”
The Sidney Department of Fire and Emergency is thankful for the assistance from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources, Sidney Police Department, Shelby County Sheriff’s office, Ohio Search and Rescue, and members of the public who remained vigilant throughout the rescue and recovery efforts.
Wearing a life jacket significantly increases the chances of surviving a boating accident, Sidney Fire’s release said.
