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Men safe after truck falls through ice
There is no fine or penalty for a vehicle or snowmobile going through the ice
Published Friday, March 21, 2008
Stanley Malikowski, Frazee, and three friends out for a morning of fishing were in for a surprise Friday morning when the pickup they were riding in went through the ice on Little Pine Lake around 7:19 a.m. Thankfully, all escaped unharmed before the vehicle became submerged in about 50 feet of water.
“This is a perfect illustration of how ice is never safe,” said Chris Vinton, Department of Natural Resources conservation officer. “They went through a thin spot in the middle of the lake where the ice was about 3 or 4 inches thick” about a half-mile from shore, Vinton said. “The ice all around it was about 40 inches thick.”
“We had been fishing there earlier in the week,” said Malikowski, who was driving. “We were in the same spot, only about 100, 150 feet up the river.”
Several factors can cause ice to thin, Vinton said. Weather most likely is not one of them in this instance.
“We have a ways to go before the temperature becomes an issue,” he said. “The Otter Tail River runs through Little Pine Lake and there’s going to be some current there.”
Although this story has a happy ending, it should serve as a reminder, Vinton said.
“Use extreme caution and have a plan,” he said. “Think about what you’ll do if you fall through. You’ll probably have to use a window to get out.”
Which is what these men did.
“They did it exactly right,” Vinton said.
There is no fine or penalty for a vehicle or snowmobile goes through the ice, Vinton said. But it is important that it be reported to the DNR or Otter tail County Sheriff’s Department right away, even if there were no injuries.
As of Friday afternoon, the 1985 Dodge pickup remained at the bottom of the lake, waiting to be fished out.
Comments
The Daily Journal is happy to host community conversations about news and life in Fergus Falls and the surrounding area. As hosts, we expect guests will show respect for each other. That means we don't threaten or defame each other, and we keep conversations free of personal attacks. Witty is great. Abusive is not. If you think a post violates these standards, don't escalate the situation. Instead, flag the comment to alert us. We'll take action if necessary. It's not hard. This should be a place where people want to read and contribute -- a place for spirited exchanges of opinion. So those who persist with racist, defamatory or abusive postings risk losing the privilege to post at all.Posted by Lala (anonymous) on March 21, 2008 at 2:14 p.m. (Suggest removal)
How scarey!!! Lucky these guys got out safe!
Posted by AndyMosity (anonymous) on March 21, 2008 at 2:48 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Every year this happens, and nobody seems to learn from it.
Posted by Flashbang (anonymous) on March 21, 2008 at 5:25 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Andy, it's a gamble no matter what time of the year it is when you're driving on ice. If fishermen knew where all the thin area's were, we wouldn't be reading this stuff. Like the article says, you need a plan just in case you go through. My question is; what is the monetary fine for leaving a vehicle at the bottom of a lake in Minnesota?
Posted by localfisherman (anonymous) on March 21, 2008 at 6:51 p.m. (Suggest removal)
if you dont retrieve it the dnr will and can charge you five times the cost of removal
Posted by Sumwun (anonymous) on March 22, 2008 at 7:25 a.m. (Suggest removal)
I think the DNR fines you anyways just because the vehicles gonna leak a little gas and oil in the water (for an '85 Dodge, probably a little more). But its going to take all day to get that thing out of there, imagine the hourly wage(s) this guy is going to have to pay to fish this thing out of there.
Posted by Flashbang (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 7:03 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Maybe your award-winning journal should research the fines the DNR could/would impose if your vehicle drops through the ice. This would educate the ice fisherman back home to maybe be a bit more careful.
Posted by Reb (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 4:53 p.m. (Suggest removal)
You folks up north never seem to learn about the dangers of ice. Us folks down here in North Carolina would never dream of performing such a dangerous trick.
Posted by Sumwun (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 6:12 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Yes, because as we all know Y'ALL folks down thar in Nawth Car-lahna are well known for y'all knowledge about the dangers of ice fishing. I think we're all fully aware of the risks of ice fishing...it's part of the lifestyle here...it happens. But if he we're fishing in a boat and his boat sunk, are you gonna call him an idiot for doing that??? And how bored are you in North Carolina to be reading the Journal web pages? And I thought there was nothing to do here.
Posted by Flashbang (anonymous) on March 23, 2008 at 6:35 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Who's the Reb guy? I'll bet he doesn't even know where NC is on the map. You're right Sumwon, how does a guy in NC know about the Journal web site? He's some local guy posing at a redneck. I'm from Fergus living out on the east coast. I alway read the Journal to keep up with people I know back home. I think I'll go on the Slidell, LA newspaper page and chime in. Give us a break Red, you're no more of a NC resident than I'm one from Hayseed, AR.
Posted by Reb (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 6:50 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Trust me. I'm living in NC. Hey, Sumwun, don't jump to conclusions. I'm not calling anyone up there an idiot. Seriously, many years ago I spent several summers fishing on several lakes in Ottertail county. Actually spent a couple of Christmas holidays up there. Fell in love with the area. However, I don't think I could handle the extreme cold weather there, and the high taxes (though, regarding the latter, NC is doing its best to catch up). I check the Jounal web site from time to time to see what's happening up there.
Posted by lenny (anonymous) on March 24, 2008 at 10:52 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Gee I wonder who is acting like a red neck here? The person from the south or sumwun and flash bang who don’t seem to understand that internet service is available worldwide even in North Carolina. I used to live in another state and I check the papers website there every day to see whats going on and to keep track of people I know in that town. It’s not that unusual.
Posted by buzzman55 (anonymous) on March 25, 2008 at 2:43 a.m. (Suggest removal)
Thank God no one drown or there were any injuries howhow the owner of the truck should be forced into paying a stupid tax for not using his brains sense anyone who fishes knows the DNR sets March 15th every year has the last day statewide that fishing houses can remain on the lakes.
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