Vehicle Goes Through Ice On Lake Bemidji

A Bemidji State University student driving on Lake Bemidji had quite the scare when her truck suddenly went through the ice. The incident happened around noon today near Paul Bunyan Park.

The driver, Ally Ringquist, told Lakeland News that she drove off the shore towards the campus to park her car on the lake. She says she attempted to avoid a puddle when she noticed there was a culvert underneath the area. The car’s left tire went through the ice.

Ringquist says she looked at the ice and noticed the depth changes from about a foot to 3 inches.

“[I was] a little nervous but it was only a foot of water so I knew I could get out. [It was more] just about damaging the front end of my truck,” Ringquist said.

She estimates it took about an hour before she was able to get towed out of the hole.The steering counsel of the truck was damaged during the incident.

Ringquist says she does not plan to go out on the ice again but noticed others still going out on the ice and parking on the lake.

This is the second time in a month that a car has partially gone through the ice on Lake Bemidji.

Video Courtesy Dylan Peterson.