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Each week, Dakota County Sheriff Dave Bellows releases a newsletter recapping the most interesting news.

From this issue:

Even with the freezing temperatures, driving on the ice can be dangerous. This fact was highlighted again this weekend when a family of five traveling on Spring Lake broke through the ice. The family, with children ages three, two, and eight months, were visiting friends at a bonfire on the lake. Getting into their car, the dad decided to take a tour on the lake when the car went through thin ice in approximately ten feet of water about 50 feet from the shore.

Fortunately, the family was able to get out of the car before it became completely submerged in the lake. While no one was injured, this incident illustrates the dangers involved when driving on any frozen body of water. Sheriff Dave Bellows cautions drivers to understand these dangers and be prepared to rapidly exit your vehicle should you break through the ice. Deputies Matt Schuster and Amber Hentges and Sergeant Jim Iliff responded to the call.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources provides tips for traveling on ice and they can be found at the following link: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/safety/ice/travel.html