Posted: 1/8/03

Truck goes through FL ice; ATV rider drowns in Coon Lake

Police and fire rescue personnel were called to the public access on Beach Drive and 2nd Lake in Forest Lake last Thursday night after reports were made of a truck through the ice.

A pickup driven by Roy L. Stegner, 35 of 8062 North Shore Trail N., Forest Lake, was located about 30 yards from the shore, but with no driver present. The two front wheels of the vehicle had broken through the thin ice in the narrows which connects 1st and 2nd lakes.

Chief of Police David Schwartz said Stegner was later located at Playerís Bar in downtown Forest Lake. The Forest Lake man was not hurt and told authorities he would remove the vehicle, police said. Police and fire personnel were called to the landing at 10:30 p.m. on Jan. 2, police said.

Man drowns in

Coon Lake

Anoka County authorities last week identified a Coon Lake drowning victim as Justin George Shermer, 21, of 22559 Bataan St., Cedar.

According to the Anoka County Sheriffís Office, Shermer died sometime late on Sunday, Dec. 29 or early Monday, Dec. 30 when the all-terrain vehicle he was riding entered open water on Coon Lake. Authorities said the man had been visiting friends who had gone on to the ice with ATVs around 7 p.m.

Police said the group had split up sometime while on the lake. By 10 p.m., friends began looking for Shermer but were unable to locate him and returned home around 1 a.m., police said.

His body was found floating in the water at 12:30 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 30 along with the ATV that he had been riding.

Other crimes

In other Forest Lake police news, officers are investigating a pair of residential burglaries.

A burglary of an open garage in the 23000 block of Havelka Court N. was reported at 10 p.m. on Jan. 5. House keys, soda and other items from vehicles were taken, police said.

Sometime late on Dec. 31 or early on Jan. 1, an attempted burglary was reported at a home in the 100 block of Lee St. Entry to the home was not gained. A window was damaged, police said.

Police arrested a 17-year-old juvenile on drug charges at 11:45 p.m. after the car he was driving was stopped at 190th St. and Fenway Ave. Police said the initial stop was made because of careless driving.

Police arrested the juvenile after a bag containing 12 grams of marijuana was found along with drug paraphernalia. The charges are misdemeanors.

A male passenger in the car was not charged.

2002 call totals

Chief Schwartz said this week the city concluded 2002 with 12,467 calls for service.

The call total for last year is an increase of 1047 calls over the 2001 total. In 2001, Forest Lake officers responded to 11,420 calls for service.

Top of Page