Posted: 1/2/08
What lurks beneath
 Far from a "polar plunge," divers wear dry suits that protect them from water and the cold temperatures. This diver was able to be under the ice for over 20 minutes. |
By Patrick Tepoorten
Two local ice fisherman made an ominous discovery on Christmas Eve as they prepared to do a little holiday spear fishing: when they peered through an underwater camera to see if there were any fish, they found a submerged vehicle.
It was discovered around 2 p.m., when Christian Smith, Harris, and Joseph Ryan, Center City, lowered a camera into a freshly cut fishing hole. Instead of fish, they found a car, later identified as a Mazda MX6, just west of their position about 100 yards off shore of Nelson's Point on North Center Lake.
Last Thursday, the Chisago County Sheriff's office brought in a dive team from the Washington County Sheriff's office, which was able to confirm the make and model of the vehicle, as well as secure a license plate number.
Fears that the car may contain a person proved unwarranted, though the vehicle did appear to have been at the bottom of the lake for some time and the licence plate had to be cleared of algae before it could be read.
Deputies soon had the name of the last registered owner, who lives just a short distance from the lake.
The vehicle was close enough to shore that, rather than being forced to "float" it, it was able to be dragged to shore underwater by winch.
According to Deputy Karl Schreck, investigators believe the vehicle has been at the bottom of the lake for approximately three years. Given low lake levels last summer, and the rather shallow depth of the car's location - seven to eight feet - Schreck was surprised it took this long to locate.
"I can't believe no one found it over the summer, or hit it with a boat motor," he said.
The incident remains under investigation until how exactly the vehicle came to rest at the bottom of the lake can be established. "We still have a few pieces of the puzzle to put together," said Schreck.
According to state statute, individuals whose vehicles go through lake ice have 30 days to remove the vehicles. After that time frame has lapsed, the Sheriff's Office is obliged to do it and can charge the registered owner anywhere from two to five times the cost of recovery.
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