Two killed when truck falls through ice

CALUMET COUNTY - Dozens of sturgeon spearers on Lake Winnebago turned into first responders Saturday after a pickup truck carrying a man and two young girls plunged through the ice.

"We were trying to give CPR for a long time," said Dan Mantz of Slinger. "We got a lot of water out of them. They said we've maybe got a pulse on one but we've got to get them out of here."

The two girls are about eight or nine-years-old according to authorities, and were in the water for about 20 minutes. They were air-lifted to Theda Clark Medical Center, where one later died.

Authorities have not released any of the victims names but relatives identified the driver as 44-year old Dan Kleinhans of St. Nazianz, who is said to be the father of the 9-year-old girl who died.

Calumet County Sheriff Jerry Pagel says the truck hit a large crack in the ice that spans about a half-mile and is about 20 feet-wide in parts.

"The lake is in good condition," said Pagel. "But we do have a large crack going east and west. With the snow that we got last night its difficult to see this crack."

Pagel says they have warned people about the crack since it formed a couple of days ago and are suggesting people stay off the ice unless they are very familiar with Lake Winnebago.

Saturday's scene won't soon be forgotten for many regulars on the ice, especially for Justin Schaller, who has survived icy water before.

"It doesn't take long," said Schaller. "You tense up, get cold and stiff. I always had friends with to help me. But you see something like this and it puts a scare in you."