“When we got hold of it, it came right out,” says Bill Bendele.  “Amazing.”  The work to extricate the blue Chevy truck from Clark Lake started about 2 pm.  The crew lassoed the trailer hitch on the vehicle, dragged it under two docks at Eagle Point Marina.  “We had to use a chain saw on the ice to create room to pull the truck out, but also used the ice as a platform as we got it closer to shore.”  Bill Bendele’s boom truck was positioned to obtain the necessary leverage.

View of the east side of Eagle Point from the DamCam today (Monday).

The truck went down off Eagle Point late Saturday or early Sunday, according to Columbia Township Police.  Observers think fog reduced visibility and believe the side or rear of the truck apparently hit one of the marina docks before being swallowed by the lake and landing in 15 feet of water.  There is open water in some spots around Eagle Point due to the action of bubblers.  The ice surrounding  that area was about 6 to 8 inches thick.  Out in the middle, the ice is between a foot and 16 inches, depending on where you measure.

Bill Bendele says they finished up around 5 pm.  “It’s not the first vehicle we’ve fished out of the lake.  There have been between 5 and 7 over the years.  Past ice festivals at the west end come to mind.”

Police say they are sorting out the details, and more information will be available.  

To view yesterday’s story of this event, please click here.  To review the story of a vehicle going through the ice near the west end boat launch on January 16th last year, please click here.

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