Two men die in Ball Club Lake accident
Itasca County Sheriff Pat Medure reported Tuesday that members of his department recovered the bodies of two Ball Club men from Ball Club Lake after their boat overturned and they presumably drowned Sunday afternoon, Oct. 24.
Medure identified the men as Lawrence Howard Gotchie, 84, and his son, Ernest Anthony Gotchie, 51.
Medure said the men were netting white fish on Ball Club Lake at the time of the accident. The victims were found about a half hour later in six feet of water. They were not wearing life jackets.
The Sheriff's Office received the 911 call at approximately 4:16 p.m. Sunday after the two men failed to show up at home.
Ball Club Lake is located 47 miles east of Bemidji on the north side of U.S. Highway 2.
An autopsy was preformed Monday to determine the cause of death.
The Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Minnesota DNR, Leech Lake DNR and Itasca County Sheriff's Office Search and Rescue Team.
