A 65-year-old man was saved after police and his dog helped rescue him from a frozen lake.
On Thursday, January 18, 2024, at approximately 11:45 a.m. #Michigan State Police responded to call of a 65-year- old Traverse City man that had fell through the ice in Arbutus Lake in East Bay Township. Bystanders on the shore called 911 after witnessing the man fall through the ice.
He grabbed the rescue disc from the back of his patrol vehicle and went out on the ice. The officer than saw the man in the frozen water. Next to the man was his dog, Ruby. The officer could not reach the man due to the ice
conditions.
He asked the man to send Ruby over to him. Ruby ran to MCO Bennetts. MCO Bennetts attached the rescue disc to Ruby’s collar and told the man to call his dog. Ruby ran back to his owner with the rescue disc.
MCO Bennetts instructed the man to take the disc from Ruby and start kicking his legs. MCO Bennetts was assisted by a firefighter from Grand Traverse Metro Fire Department as they pulled the man to safety. The man was transported by ambulance to Munson Medical Center for treatment and later released.
The man was in the water for approximately 16 minutes.
