Danger Thin Ice, Ice Recovery Of UTV From Chetek, WI

Video Description

This video package will show UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) ice recovery that took place today on January 10th, 2025. The cold weather we have been having has allowed the recovery to happen. Ice conditions were not safe enough after the UTV went through the ice. The UTV was sitting in about 12 feet of water. The information below is the press release from the Barron County Sheriff's Office on said UTV.

Press Release
December 26, 2025
On Wednesday, December 25, 2024, at 6:54 p.m., the Barron County Sheriff’s Department 911 center received a call of two people and a UTV that went through the ice near the Pokegama Boat Landing east of Chetek. Deputies from the Barron County Sheriff’s Department along with the Chetek Police Department, Chetek EMS and Chetek Fire Department all responded to the scene.
Upon arrival, both people that were in the water had been helped out of the water by a family that was ice fishing near the area. One male subject, 25 from Chetek, was treated and released at the scene and the driver of the UTV, a 53 year old male from Chetek, was transported to LMC with non-life threatening injuries.

Special thanks to the family that assisted in rescuing these two people and all the responders who left their families on Christmas to help others, as they do each and every day of the year. The Barron County Sheriff’s Department Recreational Division is handling this crash.
With warmer temps this week, please check ice conditions even if you are familiar with the lake.
Per Chris Fitzgerald, Barron County Sheriff

Shot Sheet

Legacy title: Danger Thin Ice, Ice Recovery Of UTV From Chetek, WI

This video package will show UTV(Utility Task Vehicle) ice recovery that took place today on January 10th, 2025. The colder weather we have been having has allowed the recovery to happen. Ice conditions were not safe enough after the UTV went through the ice. The UTV was sitting in about 12 feet of water. The information below is the press release from the Barron County Sheriff's Office on said UTV.
Press Release
December 26, 2025
On Wednesday, December 25, 2024, at 6:54 p.m., the Barron County Sheriff’s Department 911 center received a call of two people and a UTV that went through the ice near the Pokegama
Boat Landing east of Chetek.
Deputies from the Barron County Sheriff’s Department along with the Chetek Police Department, Chetek EMS and Chetek Fire Department all responded to the scene.
Upon arrival, both people that were in the water had been helped out of the water by a family that was ice fishing near the area. One male subject, 25 from Chetek, was treated and released at
the scene and the driver of the UTV, a 53 year old male from Chetek, was transported to LMC with non-life threatening injuries.
Special thanks to the family that assisted in rescuing these two people and all the responders who left their families on Christmas to help others, as they do each and every day of the year.
The Barron County Sheriff’s Department Recreational Division is handling this crash.
With warmer temps this week, please check ice conditions even if you are familiar with the lake.
Per Chris Fitzgerald, Barron County Sheriff

This video package will show UTV (Utility Task Vehicle) ice recovery that took place today on January 10th, 2025. The cold weather we have been having has allowed the recovery to happen. Ice conditions were not safe enough after the UTV went through the ice. The UTV was sitting in about 12 feet of water. The information below is the press release from the Barron County Sheriff's Office on said UTV.

Press Release
December 26, 2025
On Wednesday, December 25, 2024, at 6:54 p.m., the Barron County Sheriff’s Department 911 center received a call of two people and a UTV that went through the ice near the Pokegama Boat Landing east of Chetek. Deputies from the Barron County Sheriff’s Department along with the Chetek Police Department, Chetek EMS and Chetek Fire Department all responded to the scene.
Upon arrival, both people that were in the water had been helped out of the water by a family that was ice fishing near the area. One male subject, 25 from Chetek, was treated and released at the scene and the driver of the UTV, a 53 year old male from Chetek, was transported to LMC with non-life threatening injuries.

Special thanks to the family that assisted in rescuing these two people and all the responders who left their families on Christmas to help others, as they do each and every day of the year. The Barron County Sheriff’s Department Recreational Division is handling this crash.
With warmer temps this week, please check ice conditions even if you are familiar with the lake.
Per Chris Fitzgerald, Barron County Sheriff

Clip 1. The ice recovery team is getting the ice recovery equipment ready.
Clip 2. The team pulled the ice recovery equipment out to where the UTV is. Onlookers are watching the process from the boat landing.
Clip.3 The team is using an underwater camera to hook up the UTV.
Clip 4. Britt cut the ice back and wider so the UTV could be lifted out of the water.
Clips 5-7. Britt is still cutting the ice back while the team is pushing the ice blocks under the main sheet of ice.
Clips 8-9. The UTV is being pulled up from the lake bottom to the surface.
Clip 10. The UTV is out of the water and is being pulled away from the open water to safer ice.
Clip 11. Onlookers were watching the ice recovery from the bridge. One can also see the pressure ridge.
Clips 12-13. The ice recovery team is putting up red flags to warn people of the open water and weaker ice conditions in that area.
Clip 14. The UTV is being pulled across the lake to the boat landing.
Clips 15-16. Shows how long this pressure ridge is.

Location

Chetek, WI

Barron