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Man dies after colliding with another surfer at Ventura County’s Rincon Point

Map of the Ventura County coast with a label pointing to Rincon Point
About 1:30 p.m. Saturday, rescue workers were called to Rincon Point after two surfers collided in the water and suffered head injuries.
(Los Angeles Times)
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A 51-year-old man died Saturday after he collided with another surfer at popular Rincon Point in Ventura County, authorities said.

Gerry Gilhool was transported to Community Memorial Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, said Capt. Victor Medina of the Ventura County Sheriff’s Office. The incident was declared an accident, he said.

About 1:30 p.m. Saturday, rescue workers were dispatched to the popular surfing spot north of Ventura to assist a man who was unconscious on the beach, Medina said.

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Witnesses told authorities that two men had collided in the water and both suffered head injuries. The other surfer, whose name was not immediately available, apparently drove himself to a hospital, Medina said.

A nurse who happened to be at the beach performed CPR on Gilhool until paramedics arrived and continued trying to save his life, Medina said.

Medina said the incident was “a total accident.”

“Yesterday was apparently some rough waters out there, and it’s common for surfers, especially if you have a weekend and a large crowd out there, it can get crowded, and they cross each other,” Medina said.

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