I don't know about you, but this accident might be one of the worst Minnesota winter accidents I've ever heard about.

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We always hear about vehicles that plunge through the ice on Minnesota lakes this time of year, especially given those warm, 60-degree days we had last week. (Before Friday's big snow storm, that is.)

But this story from KARE-11 might be the worst I've heard. It involves a vehicle that goes through the ice, alright. Except that this time, the ice wasn't covering a lake. No, in this accident, the ice was covering a manure pit.

And the guy was driving a skid steer loader that ended up going through the ice right into the manure pit. It happened on Duane Herzog's property in Freeport, Minnesota, northwest of St. Cloud along I-94, about three hours from Rochester.

The story says the skid steer broke through the ice and became completely submerged in the manure pit. Herzog was trapped in the cabin until crews rescued him. Good Lord, how horrible!

Herzog was airlifted to Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis, and the story said while his condition initially wasn't known, authorities now say he passed away after having been submerged for nearly 20 minutes before rescuers arrived.

How horrifying. My thoughts and prayers go out to his family at this terrible time.

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