Mich. officer walks onto frozen pond, saves boy who fell through ice

Officer Joe Schumaker fell through the ice himself, but was still able to save the boy

January 28, 2024 08:00 AM

Michigan police officer walks onto frozen pond, saves boy who fell through ice

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“He was in the right place at the right time,” the news release says.

Dundee Police Department via Facebook

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By Cliff Pinckard
cleveland.com

DUNDEE, Ohio — A police officer walked onto a frozen pond Tuesday morning and ended up falling into the water, but he still managed to save a 12-year-old boy who had broken through the ice.

Both Dundee officer Joe Schumaker and the boy were OK after the rescue at a pond located on the property of a Cabela’s outdoors store, according to a news release from the police department.

Police say a truck driver for Hungry Howie’s was making a delivery to a location by the pond Tuesday morning when the boy fell through the ice. The driver heard the boy screaming for help and called 911.

“He was in the right place at the right time,” the news release says.

Rescuers got to the scene in about three minutes and saw the boy struggling to stay afloat in about 20 feet of water. Schumaker grabbed a flotation device with a rope and walked onto the ice, but soon broke through himself, police say.

Schumaker still was able to wade to the boy. Both were then pulled to safety by police officers and firefighters, as well as bystanders. The boy was taken to a hospital in Toledo for treatment. Schumaker was treated and the scene and then returned to work.

Police did not say how the boy ended up on the pond and falling through the ice. Dundee is located about 30 miles north of Toledo.