Stolen car fished out of Rock River

March 23, 2008

NEWVILLE-Law enforcement agents throughout northern Rock County responded to a report of a car in the Rock River on Sunday morning.

The call came into Rock County Dispatch at 10:46 a.m. and the caller reported the vehicle was up to its roof in the water.

The Rock County Sheriff’s Department, its water rescue and dive teams, Milton and Edgerton Fire and EMS, and the Wisconsin DNR warden all responded to the public boat landing on Ellendale Road near Newville.

Firefighters launched a boat out to the car, which was about 120 feet from the river’s edge, but didn’t see any victims in the car.

The dive team then searched the area around the vehicle, while the water rescue team searched the water and the shoreline down river and didn’t find anyone.

At about the same time officers were rushing to the boat launch scene, the Edgerton Police Department was responding to a report of a stolen car.

Jerad Lund, Edgerton, reported his 2006 Chevy Trailblazer was taken from his home overnight. Officers at the boat launch checked the submerged car and discovered it was a match.

The Trailblazer was pulled from the river, and checked again for victims. None were found. The search was discontinued.

“We’re convinced that there are no victims in the water,” said Rock County Sheriff’s Department Sgt. Steve Selby.

The Edgerton Police Department is investigating the car theft.