Man From Hawaii Rescued On Swollen Platte River In Benton County

FOLEY - The Benton County Sheriff’s Office assisted with the rescue of a victim of a boating accident on the Platte River in northwestern Benton County.

At about 1:55 pm today (Tuesday), the Benton County Sheriff’s Office received a call from a woman who had been involved in a boating accident in West Langola Township. Fifty-eight-year-old Deborah Pierce of Zionsville, Indiana says she and her two brothers had been in a boat on the river and that the boat had capsized.

Pierce says she and the boat driver 51-year-old Mark Bode of Lakeville had managed to reach shore but that her other brother, 56-year-old Craig Bode of Wailuku, Hawaii was still in the water.

Benton County deputies along with responders from the Royalton Fire Department, Royalton Police Department, Rice Fire Department, and Minnesota DNR began searching the area for Craig Bode. Craig Bode was located about 1000 feet downstream from the location of the boating accident holding onto a tree about 50 feet from shore. Members of the Royalton Fire Department and a Benton County deputy threw a life jacket to Craig, however he was unable to get the life jacket on. The Royalton firefighters and Benton County deputy entered the water and were able to reach Craig. He was then brought to the shore and given first aid.

Neither Deborah nor Mark required medical attention. Craig was transported by Gold Cross Ambulance to the St. Cloud Hospital with non- life threatening injuries.

Investigating deputies learned that the three victims had launched their 17 foot john boat on the Platte River in Royalton around noon.

None of the three boaters were wearing personal floatation devices at the time of the accident.