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Man drowns when snowmobile goes through Lake Superior ice By RICK OLIVO The Daily Press Monday, March 26th, 2007 10:03:15 AM

A 21-year-old Mason man is dead after the snowmobile he and his brother were riding to shore following an ice fishing outing broke through the ice about 200 yards off the Roy's Point Marina Landing.

According to the Bayfield County Sheriff's Department, Jerryd Benton was pronounced dead in the Bayfield Ambulance, which was taking him to a landing zone to be picked up by a helicopter ambulance.

The accident was reported to the Bayfield County Emergency dispatcher at 4:45 p.m. Saturday afternoon. According to a department representative, the accident was reported after Benton's younger brother Ross Benton, 14, who had been riding on the same snowmobile, was able to return to shore. It was uncertain if the younger man had also been in the water, or if he was thrown clear of the machine before it sank. He ran to shore and was spotted by his uncle, Jeffrey Benton, who summoned authorities.

Ross Benton was taken to Memorial Medical Center in Ashland via Red Cliff Ambulance, where he was treated for cold exposure and was later released.

Jerryd Benton's body was recovered by searchers about half an hour after the incident was reported.

Responding to the call were members of the Bayfield and Red Cliff fire and ambulance services, and the Bayfield dive team. Also assisting were members of the La Pointe dive team, the U.S. Coast Guard, Ashland paramedics and the St. Mary's helicopter ambulance. The Cable dive team was also requested, but was later called off.

On Sunday, fears for the safety of a pair of ice fishermen on Chequamegon Bay sparked a search effort along the Ashland shoreline by the Ashland Ice Angel, the Coast Guard and the La Pointe wind sled.

The men, Garry Giller of Luck and Gary Jorgenson of Milltown, were able to walk off unaided after the Ice Angel crew spotted them returning to their vehicle at the Ashland Boat Club landing

The pair said they were unaware that they were the objects of a search.

"We couldn't figure out what all the hubbub was about," said Giller, who apologized for being the source of the concern, while saying he appreciated the efforts made on their behalf.

"I still can't believe it," he said.

The men reported the ice conditions they encountered were adequate, and insisted they were exercising due caution, including using a rope to connect each other in the event one of them fell through the ice, as well as auguring holes at regular intervals to check on the ice thickness.

Nevertheless, Ashland Fire Captain Scott Timm said it was time for ice anglers to call it a season and wait for open water fishing.

"The Ashland Fire Department recommends that people stay off the ice from here on out," said Timm Sunday evening after the two men returned to shore. "With the recent warm weather and rain, the ice conditions have gotten bad. We had 71 degrees today, ice conditions are deteriorating, and the heavy rain we had today is eating that ice away very rapidly.

Timm said he was delighted that the two were able to get off the ice without problem.

"But again, we need to make sure about that every time we get a call. The one we don't go to might be the real one," he said. "We can't pick and choose, so we treat every one of these as if someone is in the water."

Timm recommends that anytime anyone goes out on the lake that they take a set of ice picks to enable them to climb out of the water and a personal floatation device to help keep them afloat.

"And that is any time you go out, because you just never know when you are going to run into a bad spot," he said.

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Submitted on 03/27/2007

Submitted by: Sherrie Black
Reference: The Daily Press, Ashland, WI, 26 March 2007

Copyright © 2007 DarwinAwards.com

James said:
Definitely Toss: Lacks Excellence
Thanks for taking the time to submit, Sherrie! I read the article in its entirety and could not find any evidence of DA grade stupidity. Now granted, I'm a jamoke from NYC who wouldn't know a snowmobile from a hole in the wall, but it seems to me that nothing in the article suggests anything other than an unfortunate accident. Just the same, we DO appreciate the submission!

Chip said:
Definitely Toss: Lacks Excellence
As James said, nothing in the article would show Darwin seekers. Using snowmobiles to go ice fishing is common and it appears they did nothing wrong other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Thanks for the story though, Sherrie. We appreciate the time you took to send it in.

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