Man dead after Culver ice boat accident
Ronald Earl King  

WSBT-TV
Jan 10, 2009 at 8:36 PM EST
Culver — A trip onto a frozen lake landed one man in the hospital in Marshall County. Police in Culver say a 72-year-old man went out on Lake Maxinkuckee on his ice boat Saturday afternoon, but never came back. That's when his family...


Jan 11, 2009 at 2:31 PM EST

Culver — Police say a man who was rushed to the hospital after his boat overturned in icy water has died.

Culver police say 72-year-old Ronald D. King's wife notified them around 2:45 p.m., after he failed to return from an "ice boat" outing on the lake. An ice boat is similar to a sail boat, only that it runs on skis on top of the ice.

Firefighters eventually found King's boat on the ice, in the middle of the lake. He had fallen into the water and was partially submerged when they got to him.

Paramedics rushed King to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Plymouth, and then transferred him to SJRMC in South Bend where he died at 11:03 p.m.

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Police respond to ice-boating accident
By Dave Stephens
South Bend Tribune Staff Writer

Culver - A 72-year-old man was rushed to a South Bend hospital Saturday, after emergency crews found him floating in the middle of Lake Maxinkuckee.

Culver police say they were first notified by the man’s wife about 2:45 p.m., after he failed to return from an “ice boat” outing on the lake. An ice boat is similar to a sail boat, only that it runs on skis on top of the ice.

Police and firefighters began searching the lake, the state’s second largest, with binoculars from shore but were unable to locate the boat for more than an hour

Firefighters than walked to the middle of the lake to find the boat empty and the man floating nearby, with the aid of a life jacket, in an open water area of the lake.

The man, who is not being identified pending family notification, was unresponsive and crews used a basket to carry him to shore. He was then taken to a hospital in Plymouth before being transported to South Bend.

Culver police say the man’s ice boat remained on the lake, but that emergency crews will meet Sunday afternoon to remove

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Update: Man dead after Culver ice boat accident
January 11. 2009 12:05PM

Culver — Police say a man who was rushed to the hospital after his boat overturned in icy water has died.

Police in Culver say 72-year-old Ronald D. King went out on Lake Maxinkuckee on his ice boat Saturday afternoon, but never came back. That's when his family called police.

Firefighters eventually found King's boat on the ice, in the middle of the lake. He had fallen into the water and was partially submerged when they got to him.

Paramedics rushed King to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Plymouth, and then transferred him to SJRMC in South Bend where he died at 11:03 p.m.

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72 Year Old Man Dies In Ice Boat Accident
Last updated on Monday, January 12, 2009
WBIW.com Bedford, Indiana

Culver - A Culver man died over the weekend after falling through an icy lake.

72-year-old Ronald King died Saturday night after being p ulled from Lake Maxinkuckee.

Police say King was sailing an ice boat when the boat fell through the ice and got stuck.

An ice boat is a sailboat with blades on the bottom.

Police say the boat had been sliding on the ice when it probably found a patch of water that hadn't frozen

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Culver man dies after ice boat accident
Sunday, 11 January 2009
By Maggie Nixon, Managing Editor
Plymouth Pilot News.

Culver — A 72-year-old man has died after the ice boat he was on fell through Lake Maxinkuckee Saturday.

Police were called to 520 Peru Court, Culver , shortly before 3 p.m. Suzanne King reported to police her 72-year-old husband, Ronald, had taken his ice boat — a device similar to a sailboat equipped with skis, powered by a sail — out on the frozen lake. She was concerned he had not returned after nearly an hour. Upon arrival, Culver Deputy Chief of Police Chad Becker said a "search" was done from the residence using binoc ulars. "The boat craft was not visually located from that area," he said. A second search was conducted from the west shores of the public access sight, but no visual was detected there either.

"An incident command was started at the public access site by Culver Police," Becker said. "At this time, the Culver Fire Department was requested for personnel in regard to a search, which was started by sending fire units around the lake."

Becker said within a half an hour after the fire department's search began, the department was able to locate the boat near the center of the lake.

"After fire personnel walked to the boat, they were able to locate the victim partially submerged in an open area of the lake that had not frozen.

"King was found to be unconscious and unresponsive, however he had been wearing a life jacket," Becker said. The jacket was able to keep King afloat and his head above water.

A basket was used to transport King across the lake after Culver -Union Township EMS p ulled King from the water.

After being treated at the scene, King was taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center-Plymouth before being taken to South Bend.

According to Marshall County Coroner William Cleavenger, King died at 11:03 p.m. Saturday.

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Culver man dies in ice-boating accident
Monday, 12 January 2009
By Maggie Nixon, Managing Editor
Plymouth Pilot News.
Thursday, 15 January 2009 By Maggie Nixon Culver Citizen

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Members of the Culver -Union Township Fire Department, Marshall County Dive Team and Department of Natural Resources-Law Enforcement Division were on Lake Maxinkuckee Sunday afternoon to remove an ice boat. Photo provided/Chad Becker

Culver — A 72-year-old man has died after the ice boat he was on fell through Lake Maxinkuckee Saturday.

Police were called to 520 Peru Court, Culver , shortly before 3 p.m. Suzanne King reported to police her 72-year-old husband, Ronald, had taken his ice boat — a craft similar to a sailboat equipped with skis, powered by a sail — out on the frozen lake. She was concerned he had not returned after nearly an hour.

Upon arrival, Culver Deputy Chief of Police Chad Becker said a “search” was done from the residence using binoculars. “The boat craft was not visually located from that area,” he said. A second search was conducted from the west shore of the public access site, but the ice boat was not observed from there either.

“An incident command was started at the public access site by Culver Police,” Becker said. “At this time, the Culver Fire Department was requested for personnel in regard to a search, which was started by sending fire units around the lake.”

Becker said within half an hour after the fire department’s search began, the department was able to locate the boat near the center of Lake Maxinkuckee, Indiana’s second largest lake. “After fire personnel walked to the boat, they were able to locate the victim partially submerged in an open area of the lake that had not frozen.

“King was found to be unconscious and unresponsive, however he had been wearing a life jacket,” Becker said. The jacket was able to keep King afloat and his head above water. A basket was used to transport King across the lake after Culver -Union Township EMS p ulled him from the water.

After being treated at the scene, King was taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center-Plymouth before being taken to South Bend.

According to Marshall County Coroner William Cleavenger, King died at 11:03 p.m. Saturday. Culver Police, Fire and EMS were assisted by the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office, the Marshall County Dive Team and the Department of Natural Resources-Law Enforcement Division.On Sunday, fire and police department crews returned to the scene to remove the ice boat from Lake Maxinkuckee.

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WNDU TV
Culver , IN
Posted: 8:47 PM Jan 10, 2009
Last Updated: 12:47 PM Jan 13, 2009
Reporter: Nick McGurk


Ronald D. King, 72, died late Saturday night after being pulled from Lake Maxinkuckee in Culver .

King's wife reported him missing around 2:45 p.m. Saturday, according to police. Culver firefighters found King roughly one mile from shore.

Culver police say the 72-year-old man was sailing an ice boat on frozen Lake Maxinkuckee when the boat fell through the ice and got stuck.

He was taken to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center in Plymouth and later transported to South Bend.

Officials say crews at the hospital quit rescue attempts around 11 p.m. Saturday.

King died of severe hypothermia and cold water drowning, according to the St. Joseph County Coroner.

An ice boat is a sailboat with blades on the bottom. Police say the boat had been sliding on the ice when it probably found a patch of water that had not frozen.

On Sunday afternoon, a nine-person crew from the Marshall County Dive Team, Culver Fire Department and the DNR recovered the boat and dragged it back to shore.

Officials want to remind people of the importance of life jackets. Even though the lake looks frozen, you should remember there is water underneath and anything can happen.

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Culver man dies in ice boat accident
Fox28
Posted: Jan 11, 2009 05:39 PM EST

A 72-year old Culver man is dead after his boat overturned in icy water.

Police say Ronald King died after fire crews found him partially submerged in icy water after falling out of his boat.

It happened on Lake Maxinkuckee Saturday afternoon.

Family members say when he didn't return last night they called police.

He was transported to the St. Joseph Regional medical Center Plymouth and transferred to St. Joseph Regional medical Center where he later died.

The Marshall County Coroner is reminding everyone to avoid taking chances on frozen lakes and rivers.

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Ronald Earl King
June 10, 1936 - Jan. 10, 2009

Culver — Ronald Earl King, 72, a resident of Culver and Kokomo, died at 11:03 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 10, 2009, in Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, South Bend following an ice boating accident on Lake Maxinkuckee. He was born June 10, 1936, in Peru, the son of Cecil V. and Laura Esther (Edwards) King. He married Suzanne Burton, in Kokomo, on Jan. 21, 1961, and she survives.

Ron was a 1954 graduate of Peru High School and a 1959 graduate of GMI as a co-op student with Delco Radio. He earned his master’s degree from Purdue University in 1967. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy.

He was employed for 42 years with Delco Electronics, retiring in 1999. His memberships included the First Presbyterian Church in Kokomo, the Purdue 400 Club, and the Y’s Men. He was a reg ular Red Cross blood donor.

He is survived by his wife, Suzanne; one son, Brian A. King and his wife, Becki, Tipton; two daughters: Karen Alyea and her husband, Mike, Fishers, and Stacy Hildebrand and her husband, Greg, Plymouth; six grandchildren; and one brother, Carl E. King and his wife, Pat, Marion. He was preceded in death by his parents.

A celebration of Ron’s life will be at 11 a.m. Wednesday at the First Presbyterian Church, 2000 W. Jefferson St. Kokomo, with Pastor Jerry VanAuken officiating. Burial will follow in Albright Cemetery with military honors provided by the Kokomo VFW Military Rites Team. The family will receive friends from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Shirley & Stout Funeral Home, Lincoln Road Chapel, 1315 W. Lincoln Road, and one hour prior to the service at the church.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Purdue University for scholarships and/or the Lake Maxinkuckee Association with envelopes available at the funeral home.

Online condolences may be left at www.shirleyandstout.com.

Kokomo Herald Tribune 11 January 2009
Plymouth Pilot - 13 January 2009
Culver Citizen 15 Janaury 2009