25-02-2025
Partially submerged car frozen in Twin Cities lake becomes viral curiosity
A viral curiosity from the Minnesota winter can be found in White Bear Lake, where a partially submerged car has become the subject of online fascination.
The plight of the stricken sedan has been shared on Instagram by the Urban Ice Anglers' page for weeks now, with the youth ice fishing organization posting regular updates as the Buick became increasingly encased in ice during Minnesota's recent extreme cold.
Karl Erickson, who organizes the 10,000 Ice Anglers Project — a free program that provides thousands of kids a winter fishing experience — posted videos this week showing efforts to get the car out of the ice near Bellaire Beach.
The Ramsey County Sheriff's Office tells Bring Me The News the owner of the 2008 Buick Lucerne is responsible for its removal from the lake, but if he doesn't, its Water Patrol unit will use it as a training exercise and send the bill to the driver.
According to the sheriff's office, the car became submerged on the lake on Jan. 27, and confirmed it was unoccupied when it was found.
Police got in contact with the Buick's owner, a 41-year-old White Bear Lake man. He told officers he was driving across the lake when his front wheels broke through the ice and water started to come through the floorboards.
"He exited the vehicle through the front driver's side window and walked to safety before getting a ride home," a Ramsey County Sheriff's spokesperson said.
The man told the sheriff's office he plans to get the car removed from the lake but it still remains there as of Monday.
