ROSCOE, S.D. (By American News Staff reports) – An Edmunds County resident driving a utility terrain vehicle broke through the ice on Saturday afternoon and died.
Eugene Conn Sr., 81, of Roscoe was the person who died, said Edmunds County Sheriff Todd Holtz.
Holtz said Conn was driving on what’s commonly called Hosmer Lake or Hosmer Slough, which is southwest of Hosmer in Edmunds County, at about 3:30 p.m. when the vehicle went through the ice. Bystanders saw what happened, contacted authorities and tried to rescue Conn, Holtz said. He was waiting to hear final details, but said that it sounds like the bystanders got Conn out of the vehicle and water and tried to assist him before emergency responders arrived. Conn was taken to a hospital, but pronounced dead, Holtz said. He was not certain of the cause of death.
Holtz said ice on waterways is unpredictable and, in some places, thin. That can be the case every winter, but is especially true this year given how mild the weather has been. There’s no way to know where the thin ice is, Holtz said.
Conn’s funeral will be at 9:30 a.m. Thursday at St. Paul Lutheran Church in Roscoe, according to his death notice. Masks are required. Visitation will be from 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Gramm Funeral Home in Ipswich.
(visit www.aberdeennews.com)