Body Recovered on Fish Hook Lake

The body of a man involved in a boat collision was recovered Friday after a day long search. John Patrick Sargent, 78 years old from Park Rapids, went missing after his fishing boat collided with another boat Thursday afternoon.

According to a press release from the Hubbard County Sheriff’s office, a call for a two-boat crash came in at 1:45 PM on August 25th. Upon arrival, first responders found four of the five people involved in the incident on shore.

The Lake Area Dive Team, Becker County Dive Team and an airplane team with the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources assisted in a search operation when Sargent could not be located. The search was suspended Thursday night, but resumed Friday morning. His body was recovered at 2:55 PM.

Sargent was operating his watercraft when it crashed with a boat operated by Jessiah Hoeg, 32 years old of Maple Grove. Passengers Gloria and Thomas Dalby, both 57 of Brainerd, were ejected along with Sargent from the boat. No one was wearing a life jacket.

Eyewitnesses on the shore were able to get into a boat to rescue Gloria and Thomas Dalby. Thomas Dalby broke his ribs and was airlifted to North Memorial Hospital in Robbinsdale for treatment. The report stated Gloria Dalby was treated at St. Joseph’s Hospital in Park Rapids for minor injuries, however, the hospital had no record of her. Jessiah Hoeg and passenger Rick Hoeg sustained minor injuries.

The incident is being investigated by the Hubbard County Sheriff’s office. It does not appear that alcohol was a factor.