South Dakota man dies when pickup breaks through ice on Minnesota lake

ORTONVILLE, Minn. — A South Dakota man died Sunday morning after his pickup fell through the ice on Big Stone Lake near Lagoona Beach, Minnesota, according to a news release from the Big Stone County Sheriff’s Office.

He has been identified as Rodney Gustafson, 62, of Big Stone City, South Dakota, by the sheriff’s office. He was pronounced dead at the Sanford Medical Center in Fargo, North Dakota, where he had been airlifted, according to the sheriff’s office.

According to the news release, a caller reported that a white pickup truck had fallen through the ice near Lagoona Beach on Sunday, March 3.

Divers from the Big Stone City Fire Department Dive Team located a single individual inside the vehicle in the water. Life-saving measures were initiated before the man was airlifted to Sanford in Fargo, where he was pronounced dead.

Assisting at the scene were the Ortonville Ambulance Service, Big Stone City Fire Department and Dive Team, Clinton Fire Department and First Responders, and LifeLink III.

The Big Stone Sheriff’s Office advises that ice conditions on area lakes have deteriorated with the warmer weather. Use extreme caution if going on the lakes.

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