Coroner identifies man found in Budd Inlet on Saturday

The man whose body was found in Budd Inlet over the weekend has been identified as Brady Grivel, 50, a transient, Thurston County Coroner Gary Warnock said Monday.

The cause of death was “asphyxia due to saltwater drowning,” Warnock said, but the manner of death is still pending. He said his medical examiner was not ready to call it an accident.

Grivel was found by members of Olympia Area Rowing about 7:15 a.m. Saturday, 300 feet or so off Priest Point Park beach.

Mark Williams, president of the club, said five rowing sculls and their rowers hit the water about 6:30 a.m. Saturday and headed north. It’s not unusual for the rowers to see debris in the water, but they had a “what was that” moment when the body was spotted, he said.

A coach, who was in a separate boat, found the body and another rower called 911, Williams said. Three rowing sculls returned to Swantown Marina, while two sculls and the coach stayed with the body. The Olympia Fire Department and Port of Olympia Harbor Patrol responded.

A separate group of boaters found the man’s kayak, said Olympia police Lt. Paul Lower. Tied to the kayak were bags that Lower described as bike bags, which were filled with personal hygiene products, letters and documents, and some ear buds, he said.

This story was originally published May 16, 2016 at 4:51 PM with the headline "Coroner identifies man found in Budd Inlet on Saturday."