FOND DU LAC, Wis. — A Wisconsin man managed to survive after his truck broke through ice in Lake Winnebago on Saturday afternoon, authorities said.
The Fond du Lac County Sheriff’s Office posted photos on Facebook of the cracks in the ice.
“Don’t let the cold temperatures we’ve had in recent weeks fool you,” the sheriff’s office wrote. “There are some serious cracks and areas of thin ice on the lake again this winter, so follow the local fishing club pages.”
The truck is still at the bottom of the lake, WITI-TV reported. Pictures posted to the sheriff’s office Facebook page circled where the truck broke through the ice.
Police said the 51-year-old man had been traveling across the lake when he encountered an area of weak ice, causing the truck to fall into the water, WKOW-TV reported. Authorities said the man was able to throw his cellphone onto the ice and climb out of the pickup truck, the television station reported. He then called 911.
The lower half of the man’s body had been submerged in water, according to WKOW-TV.
The man was taken to an area hospital, where he was evaluated and later released, the television station reported. He was not injured.
The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources has an ice safety page, where people intending to travel across lakes for fishing and other activities can check the status of the water, WITI reported.
The owner has 30 days to have the truck removed from the lake, WFRV-TV reported.
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