Huron County deputies were dispatched to an ice covered Saginaw Bay canal, off the end of Kilmanagh Road in Sebewaing Township this past Friday, after receiving reports of an ice fishing outing gone awry.
On February 23, just after 10 a.m., three Sebewaing men were fishing on the canal when another Sebewaing man and his passenger pulled up to them on an airboat. The three men knew the airboat’s operator and a heated exchange ensued, likely due to past disputes. The airboat’s arrival shattered some ice near the fishermen, and upon leaving, the driver made a turn around the three men and further broke the ice. Two of the fishermen scrambled away from the airboat before it completed its turn; however, the third fisherman ended up in the water. The victim reported struggling to stay afloat in the nearly eight feet of freezing water due to his heavy clothing.
While the airboat and its passenger left the victim behind, the two men rushed to his side and worked to pull him out of the water. The victim did not request medical attention.
A report of the incident has been sent to the Huron County Prosecutor’s Office for discussion regarding possible charges.
