By Paul Walsh
Star Tribune
ALEXANDRIA, Minn. 鈥� A 50th birthday celebration turned deadly when a man and his toddler grandson broke through the ice in a four-wheeler on Lake Andrew near Alexandria, Minn., authorities said Wednesday.
James Minnerath, 50, died after being pulled Tuesday night from the lake near his home and taken to North Memorial Medical Center in Robbinsdale, a hospital spokeswoman said.
His 2陆-year-old grandson, Hayden Minnerath, also of Alexandria, remains in Children鈥檚 Hospital of Minneapolis in critical condition Wednesday, a spokesman said. No further information was released Thursday.
The Douglas County Sheriff鈥檚 Office said it has yet to determine how long the two had been in the water.
James Minnerath, who turned 50 Tuesday, was marking the milestone by plowing snow in the neighborhood with the specially equipped ATV and riding on the lake with Hayden, the Sheriff鈥檚 Office said.
Brad Brejcha, a retired sheriff鈥檚 sergeant who lives along the lake, walked out on the ice about 200 yards from his home on the northeast shore of Lake Andrew and discovered the scene about 8:55 p.m. Tuesday. 鈥淚 know it didn鈥檛 look good,鈥� he said.
Brejcha said he went out onto the lake after receiving a call from Minnerath鈥檚 wife, who said her husband and grandson were late returning from an outing on the lake, which is southwest of Alexandria.
Brejcha saw the large hole where the vehicle had broken through and called the Sheriff鈥檚 Office from his cellphone. He said rescue personnel arrived in 鈥渁 very short time鈥� and pulled the two from the water.
An ambulance took the man and grandson to the Douglas County Hospital, the Sheriff鈥檚 Office said. The two were then flown to hospitals in the Twin Cities.
The ATV was recovered from water 18 feet deep.
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