Sheriff: Truck Breaks Through Ice On Stearns County Lake, 2 Escape

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) – Two people were able to escape Sunday afternoon after a pick-up truck went through the ice on a central Minnesota lake, according to the Stearns County Sheriff's Office.

Authorities responded at about 12:19 p.m. to a report of a vehicle through the ice on Horseshoe Lake in rural Munson Township, which is located just south of Richmond. Yang Toua, 30 of Columbia Heights, was driving a 2016 GMC Sierra pick-up truck and entered the lake access at about 7 a.m.

Toua was leaving the lake at about noon, veered off a trail and the truck broke though the ice. Initially, just the tires sank in. Toua and his passenger, 29-year-old Ge Xiong of Minneapolis, were able to get out of the truck before it eventually sank in six feet of water.

A towing service got the truck out at about 6 p.m. by using special water removal equipment. There were no injuries in the incident, but authorities say it serves as a good reminder that ice conditions are deteriorating on Minnesota lakes due to our recent mild stretch.