Friday, February 22, 2013
Deaths in Stillwater and Lake Minnetonka; dozens of cars, snowmobiles and ATVs have broken through area ice this winter.
This winter season (November to April) is on track to be the deadliest on the ice in more than five years, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR). So far this winter, five people have died after going through the ice in Minnesota. A sixth person is missing and presumed drowned. In the 2006-2007 winter season, eight people died in ice-related incidents. Just last week a snowmobiler died after going through ice on the St. Croix River near Stillwater. Three of the state's five deaths—an infant, a man in his 30s and an elderly female—have occurred on Lake Minnetonka. “There could be several reasons why so many people have died this year,” said Kara Owens, DNR boat and water safety specialist. “It could be there are …
Thursday, February 14, 2013
City of Minnetonka says launch and marina have been closed since early December and that city ordinance prohibits any vehicle or foot traffic from using the main access at Grays Bay during the winter.
Editor's note: This post has been updated to reflect that the main access to Grays Bay has been locked and gated since December and any vehicle or foot traffic using the main launch is in violation of city ordinance. Lake Minnetonka Patch apologizes for any confusion our original post may have caused. The Grays Bay Public Access—one of Lake Minnetonka's most popular launches—is officially closed for the season. The City of Minnetonka says the access technically closed in early December, as it does every winter, and the launch's main entrance is gated and locked with a large sign posting "closed for the season." While regular foot and vehicle traffic has been observed using the launch this winter, city officials say such activity violates …
Monday, February 11, 2013
The grandson and grandmother passed away after going through the ice in Lake Minnetonka Feb. 2. A memorial service is Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013.
Ten days after the deaths of Harland Dietrich and Mary Ann Haram, friends and family are preparing for a memorial service. Maple Grove residents Harland Dietrich, 31,and Mary Ann Haram, 87, were identified as the drowning victims in a Feb. 2 Lake Minnetonka accident. A memorial service will take place at 1 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 12, 2013 at the Champlin American Legion, located at 12450 Business Park Boulevard N. in Champlin. “Grandmother and Grandson had a very unique bond and will be greatly missed by all who knew them,” according to an obituary notice on StarTribune.com. Friends of Dietrich have taken to Facebook to share memories, memorial and benefit information by creating a “In Loving Memory of Harland Dietrich” page. Allan Martin …
Friday, February 8, 2013
Lake Minnetonka accident claimed the life of Markle's infant daughter last month. Prosecutors say Markle was legally drunk. Defense attorney says family has already been "visited by extreme pain and hurt."
The father of an infant who drowned last month in Lake Minnetonka made his first court appearance Friday afternoon after being charged earlier in the week with vehicular homicide. Jonathan Markle, accompanied by his attorney, turned himself in and surrendered his passport Thursday night. He was assigned a cell and sat behind obscured windows in the courtroom Friday. Prosecutors say Markle was legally drunk on the evening of Jan. 18 when his family’s vehicle broke through the ice underneath the Halstead Bay Bridge in Minnetrista. Markle’s nine-month old daughter Tabitha was trapped in the SUV and died three days after the accident. Markle’s attorney, Joe Friedberg, spoke to reporters following Friday’s hearing and said his client dove down …
Wednesday, February 6, 2013
Steve Erdahl says driver climbed back into vehicle to retrieve item from floorboard; More than 15 vehicles have gone through the ice on Lake Minnetonka this season, resulting in three deaths.
Steve Erdahl and his dog Chewy were out for a walk early Tuesday evening and on their way back home when they suddenly found themselves in the middle of an emergency. “We walked to Big Island, and the sun was just setting,” Erdahl said. “We got up by the yacht club and this guy goes by me relatively fast in an SUV doing about 30.“ A pressure ridge formed near the yacht club about three weeks ago and extends out into the bay about 300 yards. Signs mark the dangerous ice—as do several holes where cars have already gone in this winter. Erdahl said the driver slowed down to about 10 mph when he reached the channel area. The next thing he knew, the Honda was half submerged—nose down—in the water. “One second you’re walking on the ice with your …
Video: Sheriff Steps up Safety Precautions on Lake Minnetonka
Monday, February 4, 2013
Cars through the ice; snowmobiles sunk; three dead; ice fisherman react; more than a dozen vehicles have gone through Lake Minnetonka ice this winter.
The second and third deaths of the season attributed to thin ice conditions on Lake Minnetonka has got people talking. Below are a selection of notable comments left on Lake Minnetonka Patch's Facebook page and Tweets from throughout the country about the recent accidents. ryan dietrich @rydadi: @DeRushaJ oh no. Same last name but no relation at all. Worked together at MG Granite City when I was finishing school. Sad thing. Jim Manning: "I was fishing on Grays bay when this happened. Was not at all worried to drive my truck on the ice, everywhere I drilled a hole was 16+ inches of ice. I just can't understand why anyone would drive trough a channel, especially when there were "thin ice" signs all around the channel. Susie Jones @…
Sunday, February 3, 2013
Saturday afternoon accident near the Grays Bay Bridge claimed the lives of Harland Dietrich and Mary Ann Haram.
The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office has formally identified the two Maple Grove residents who drowned in Lake Minnetonka Saturday afternoon after their car broke through the ice. Harland Dietrich, 31, and Mary Ann Haram, 87, were trapped underwater for nearly an hour before divers could free them, according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. The two lived together on 9000 block of 98th Place North in Maple Grove. Their deaths are the second and third this season attributed to accidents caused by thin ice. Nine-month-old Tabitha Markle died last month after her family's vehicle broke through the ice near the Halstead Bay Bridge. The first emergency responders reached Grays Bay in approximately six minutes, and several water …
Saturday, February 2, 2013
The Sheriff’s Office Dive Team recovered the man from the submerged car and he was flown by helicopter to HCMC. A short time later, the elderly woman was recovered and transported by ambulance to HCMC. Both died Saturday evening.
- POLICE & FIRE
- Jay Corn
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Saturday, February 2
Update (Feb. 3, 5:10 p.m.): The Hennepin County Medical Examiner's Office has formally identified the two Maple Grove residents who drowned in Lake Minnetonka Saturday afternoon after their car broke through the ice. Click here for more. Update (Feb. 3, 10:48 a.m.): Two people have died after their vehicle became submerged in Lake Minnetonka yesterday, Feb. 2. A man in his 30s and an elderly woman, both from Maple Grove, died Feb. 2 at HCMC. The Hennepin County Medical Examiner will release the names of the victims. A vehicle broke through the ice underneath the Grays Bay Bridge around 2:30 p.m. Saturday afternoon—trapping two occupants for nearly an hour according to the Hennepin County Sheriff's Office. Major Darrell Huggett said one …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
Saturday accident occurred near Big Island; deputies had posted thin ice signs in the area earlier in the day.
It has been a hazardous season on Lake Minnetonka. About a dozen vehicles have gone through the ice this winter, most since the beginning of the year. An accident Jan. 18 under the Halstead Bay Bridge in Minnetrista led to the death of an infant, and seven cars went through the ice between Jan. 18 and Jan. 23. Temperatures that have hovered around freezing the last few days again have area safety officials urging Lake Minnetonka recreationalists to adhere the following safety guidelines: Related Posts:
Orono
5:27 pm on Monday, February 4, 2013
Nope, not saying that at all. The thickness of the ice is irrelevant to what happened. more ›