Santa Barbara Marine Vet and Endurance Athlete Lost on Montana Lake

James “Dingo” Dominguez, a 58-year-old Marine Corps veteran and endurance athlete from Santa Barbara, was preparing to row across the Atlantic this November with his teammates. But on July 15, during a training session on Flathead Lake in Montana, a sudden and violent storm swept across the water — weather so severe local officials have called it one of the worst in years.

“It was a special event weather system — no one expected it to come in so quickly,” said Jerry Dominguez, James’s twin brother who served alongside him in the Marines.

The team’s boat capsized in the chaos. “My brother was pushed from the boat furthest,” Jerry said. “They were in the water for about four hours. The other two were rescued and treated for hypothermia. But they weren’t able to find my brother.”

The official search was delayed and disrupted by dangerous weather. Over time, county resources began pulling back. Jerry and the twins’ older brother, Armando, stepped in to continue the mission themselves — hiring professional help, coordinating volunteers, and bringing an underwater drone system to the lake.

Lake County officials confirmed this week that while the active search is currently paused, new efforts are planned. “We have requested help from an additional search team from Kootenai County Sheriff’s Office in Idaho to come here in a few weeks,” said Undersheriff Ben Woods. He noted that since July 15, Lake County has been assisted by multiple teams from around Montana, as well as Gene and Sandy Ralston, private specialists in water recovery who have been working on behalf of both the family and the sheriff’s office.

Just last week, Jerry returned to Flathead Lake with volunteers and civilian divers. On August 28, a teammate, Jayme Linker, called to share that a civilian rescuer named Clint — who helped pull survivors from the water near Matterhorn Point on July 15 — had just recovered a watch believed to belong to James.

The family is now focused on search and recovery. Jerry confirmed they are trying to locate James’s body and bring him home for burial. He has started a fundraiser on GoFundMe to support continued search operations and the transportation of remains once located.

James Dominguez was widely known in Santa Barbara for his grit and generosity. He went through local Santa Barbara public schools, served 12 years in the Marine Corps, and competed in everything from Spartan Races to Tough Mudders to the Marine Corps Marathon. The planned transatlantic row was also a charitable mission — his team, Oarward Bound, had partnered with three nonprofit causes.

“He means the world to our family, to his friends, and to so many others,” Jerry wrote on the GoFundMe page.

If you have information or resources that could assist in the search, contact Lake County Sheriff’s Office at (406) 883-7301 or visit the family’s GoFundMe page here.