Riptide Kills 1, Strands Rescuer at Family Outing

POINT MUGU STATE PARK — A Memorial Day barbecue turned tragic Monday afternoon after a riptide left an Oxnard man dead and his cousin in critical condition, authorities said.

Authorities said 44-year-old Hansen Paialii was pronounced dead at St. John’s Regional Medical Center in Oxnard and 35-year-old Alex Talili was in critical condition in the hospital’s intensive-care unit after almost drowning while trying to rescue Paialii.

The emergency shut down Pacific Coast Highway two miles south of Mugu Rock for 30 minutes in both directions as rescuers loaded the men aboard a Ventura County sheriff’s helicopter for a flight to St. John’s.

Paialii’s wife, Frances, said Monday evening that about 20 family members, including the couple’s nine children from previous marriages, had been gathered at Yung Hee Beach, half a mile north of Deer Creek Road.

Hansen Paialii, a warehouse supervisor for Danzas Corp., a Los Angeles-based import-export company, spent part of the morning fishing off the rocks for the day’s meal, Frances Paialii said.

“When he was fishing in the ocean, I came over to him and asked him to say the blessing over the food,” Frances said. “We held hands and we all stood around the table. He said, ‘Bless those who have gone on and give them guidance.’ That was it.”

After lunch, the group played at the water’s edge.

At 1:40 p.m., Hansen Paialii got caught up in the 3- to 5-foot surf. A riptide pulled him into a sharp rock formation about 50 yards offshore, said Point Mugu State Park Supervising Ranger Frank Padilla.

Talili, also an Oxnard resident, went into the surf after him, but was not able to reach him and was pounded against the rocks. Witnesses said Talili struggled for some time before being washed ashore.

Lisa Reed, a medical technician from West Hills, helped Talili out of the water and stayed with him until paramedics arrived. As they sat on the beach, Talili appeared to go into shock, she said.

“He had severe abrasions on his back, and he was going in and out of consciousness,” Reed said.

About 50 people were on the beach at the time, among them Wink Martindale Jr., son of entertainer Wink Martindale. Martindale said Paialii tried to get back to shore on his own but was not able to fight the strong riptide. “He was out there for a good half-hour, getting tossed around on the rocks,” Martindale said.

Paialii eventually was pushed back toward the shore by the waves and was pulled in by two state beach lifeguards, who had been summoned by emergency personnel. The beach is not regularly staffed by lifeguards.

Paialii was in cardiac arrest when firefighters arrived, said Ventura County Fire Department Capt. Mike Sidlinger. Although rescuers administered cardiopulmonary resuscitation at the scene and continued their lifesaving efforts on the 20-minute helicopter flight to the hospital, Paialii was pronounced dead shortly after 2:30 p.m.

Wes Tibbitts of Camarillo, who comes to Yung Hee Beach regularly, said the offshore floor is deceptive, because it starts out flat and suddenly drops off. The rock formation off the crescent-shaped beach makes for treacherous riptides, he said.

Monday evening, Frances Paialii recalled life with the man she had married Sept. 26, 1992.

“He is lovable and easy to get along with,” she said. “He is so patient, and he can sure talk to people. He’s got a magnet-type of personality that will attract people.

“He told me he loved me on the way over to the beach this morning. That is my last memory of him, sitting in the car and holding hands,” she said.

Elsewhere in the county during the last day of the holiday weekend, officials at Channel Islands and Ventura harbors reported moderate boat traffic all day long.

“It’s been real busy, especially the beaches,” Channel Islands Harbor Patrol Officer Allen Rich said.

Traffic on the highways in Ventura County was heavy both Sunday and Monday, but California Highway Patrol officials said there were no holiday-related fatalities over the weekend. On Saturday, a Ventura man died when his car was struck by a commuter train, but that accident was not attributed to holiday traffic.

At 8 p.m. Monday, the California Highway Patrol shut the slow lane of southbound Ventura Freeway at California Street after an accident involving a motorcycle. Witnesses said the cycle hit a motor home parked on the shoulder, then rear-ended a boat trailer also on the shoulder.

Police issued a SigAlert at 9:45 p.m. Traffic was backed up six miles north of Ventura to Padre Juan Canyon.

Passersby included two registered nurses, who helped the man until paramedics arrived, said Ventura Fire Department paramedic Barry Simmons.

Authorities said the man, who was not identified, suffered major injuries and was transferred by ambulance to Ventura County Medical Center, where he was being treated late Monday night.

Drunk-driving arrests were up slightly in the county last weekend over the same period last year, with 25 people having been arrested for driving while intoxicated by 1 p.m. Monday, said a CHP spokeswoman.

During last Memorial Day’s maximum enforcement period, 22 drivers were arrested in the county. The CHP’s maximum enforcement period ended at midnight Monday.

Correspondent Veronique de Turenne contributed to this report.