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   Cass County Sheriff Bryan Welk reports on Saturday August 9, 2025 at 5:50 p.m. the Cass County Sheriff’s Office received 911 reports of a person in the water and not resurfacing on Cass Lake. Numerous law enforcement and rescue agencies responded to the lake and began to immediately search the area. 

   The investigation learned that Jon Patrick Koehmstedt, age 41, of Grafton, North Dakota exited a pontoon into Cass Lake to work on a boat motor problem and didn’t resurface. Juveniles on the boat attempted to throw the victim a life jacket and the boat began to drift in high winds. The boat was later intercepted by other boaters on the lake and the incident was reported to 911. At around 7:51 p.m. the victim was located in the water and recovered. The victim was not wearing a life vest at the time of the incident. An autopsy is scheduled with the Ramsey County Medical Examiners Office and the incident remains under investigation. 

   Assisting at the scene were numerous boaters on the lake, Cass Lake Fire Department, Leech Lake Ambulance, Leech Lake Tribal Police, Leech Lake Department of Resources Conservation, MN DNR Conservation, US Forest Service Law Enforcement, and Lakes Area Dive Team.

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