Written by
The Associated Press
INDEPENDENCE, Minn. - Hennepin County authorities say a 57-year-old man whose ATV fell into the open water of an icy lake was rescued by two men who live nearby.
"We were in the right place at the right time," said Dan Bauer. "We were glad we heard him yell."
The sheriff's office says the St. Bonifacius man was planning to ice fish Saturday morning. He was driving his ATV on Lake Sarah in Independence just before 7 a.m. when he drove into open water about 200 yards from shore.
The man yelled for help. Two men who live by the lake pushed a ladder to him and pulled him ashore.
"It was a pretty busy morning," says Bauer. "We were glad we could help out."
The man was taken to a hospital in Waconia where he is in good condition.
The sheriff's office reminds residents that the warm weather has left ice conditions unpredictable. Cars, trucks and SUVs are prohibited on all frozen bodies of water in Hennepin County.
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