By Joe Kenney, KOVE Radio
The Riverton man who drowned last Thursday during an ice fishing outing on Ocean Lake has been identified as 58 year old Richard Weliever.
Weliever died when the enclosed ATV he was riding in tipped on its side and fell into open water. The ATV sank trapping the man inside.
The vehicle reportedly tipped over and went into the water trapping the man and his dog about a quarter mile from the shore.
One person in the vehicle was able to get free and was pulled from the water by others in the fishing party. The Fremont County Sheriff’s office reported that the men were brothers.
Fremont County Search and Rescue crews along with Firefighters from the Fremont County Fire District assisted in the search. Ice Divers with the Search and Rescue team were able to recover the victim in about 12 feet of water.
Fremont County Sheriff Ryan Lee indicated that frozen waters around the County have become compromised due to high winds and unseasonably warm temperatures.
The office issued a safety warning for anglers and other outdoor enthusiasts to be extra cautious on the County’s lakes due to recent warm temperatures and high winds.
