SHAWANO, Wis. — On Tuesday morning, a van trying to deliver food to an ice fisherman on Shawano Lake plunged into the water, drawing a large police and emergency responder presence to the waterfront.
According to the Shawano County Sheriff’s Office, authorities were dispatched to the lake near Stark Rd. and Washington Lake Rd. around 6:32 a.m. CST, just north of the Lake and south of the Washington Lake channel for reports of a vehicle going into the ice.
It was described as a small van with headlights on and the 911 caller had reason to believe everyone had escaped from the vehicle. Authorities say the driver, delivering food to someone fishing on the lake, left the area on foot before they arrived.
Deputies eventually contacted the driver and confirmed no one else was in the vehicle when it sank. EMS crews checked on the driver, who was later taken to an area hospital for a more intensive evaluation. Their current condition is unknown, but they are expected to be ok.
The driver was arrested upon release for a different matter and taken to the Shawano County Jail. Crews are in the process of towing the vehicle out of the lake — a collaborative effort between Shawano Co. authorities, fire crews and local tow truck drivers.
