Bonehead NJ driver’s stunt gone wrong sends pickup sinking through frozen lake
A reckless driver spinning donuts on a frozen lake in southern New Jersey triggered an unnecessary rescue operation after his pickup truck broke through the ice, drawing sharp criticism from local officials who said the stunt endangered first responders.
“Stupidity at its finest,” Eagleswood Township Mayor Michael Pasternak told NBC Philadelphia. “It’s not something you should be doing.”
Video shared on social media shows the truck circling repeatedly across the icy lake surface on Jan. 31 before the rear of the vehicle appears to slip under the water.
The 44-year-old driver, whose name has not been released, abandoned the truck after it sank in a lake at the Stafford Forge Wildlife Management Area, about 30 miles south of Atlantic City.
Authorities said the man did not have a valid driver’s license and failed to report the late-night incident. The following morning, emergency crews were dispatched after the submerged vehicle was discovered. Believing there could be someone trapped inside, responders from three volunteer fire companies, two water rescue teams, a dive team, and EMS searched the frigid water for possible victims.
“They’re responding to a call where there may be a victim and, until they’re told otherwise, they have to treat it that way,” Pasternak said.
Parkertown Volunteer Fire Company Captain Frank Runza Jr. said the driver’s actions put lives at risk.
“It’s about more than you. When you commit an act like this, there’s a lot of other lives on the line,” Runza said.
The driver was later issued summonses for multiple motor vehicle violations, including reckless driving and leaving the scene of an accident.
As of Feb. 5, officials had not determined whether the truck would be removed from the lake.
New Jersey State Police did not immediately provide additional details, including the driver’s identity.
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