OHIO COUNTY, Ind. – An elderly man found dead in an icy pond was doing what he loved, officials said.
Ohio County Sheriff Deputies believe 87-year-old Clarence Marker was checking his muskrat traps on his property when he fell in the water.
"He was out doing something that he loves to do," said Lt. Bill Beville, an Indiana conservation officer.
"He was in good shape for his age and to lose somebody like this is a tragedy,” said Ohio County Sheriff Glen Potts. "He loved that property and he took good care of it.”
Marker's family reported him missing last weekend. Conservation officers were called in when Marker was found. They handle incidents in which people are found in the water.
Beville said the tragedy is a reminder that extreme cold temperatures are dangerous.
"We would recommend that people be very cautious of cold water this time of year. The survival time in water near freezing is minutes,” Beville said. "If your body temperature drops just a few degrees, you’re going to start losing motor function and it makes it impossible to swim and keep your head above water.”
The family is in the process of making funeral arrangements.
