Vehicle goes through ice

On January 31, 2013, at 4:52 p.m. Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office received a call about a vehicle that had gone through the ice on Lake Washington.

Le Sueur County Sheriff’s Office and Cleveland Fire and Rescue responded to the location of this call.

Officials determined that a vehicle driven by Robert Drengler, 68, of Mankato, drove into an area on Lake Washington called the “Narrows”. The vehicle broke through the ice in shallow water and became partially submerged. 

According to the sheriff’s department, Drengler, the vehicle’s only occupant, was able to get out of the vehicle and stand on its roof until fishermen/rescuers could get to his location. It was reported that a 1st Responder from the Cleveland Fire Department wearing a rescue suit was able to get to Drengler and remove him from his vehicle, bringing him to safe Ice. 

The sheriff’s department noted that Drengler was transported to the shore’s public access at Westwood, where Gold Cross Ambulance then transported him to Mankato Mayo Hospital for treatment for hypothermic condition.