Caledonia Man Saved After Being Trapped Under Water By Lawn Mower

Neighbors likely saved a man’s life Saturday after they rushed to his aid after he was trapped underneath a lawn mower that had tipped over into a pond in the 6100 block of Charles Street just after noon.

Louis Gloede, 60, of Caledonia, was mowing his grass when it tipped over and rolled into a pond several feet from the shore, according to a press release from the Caledonia Police Department.

Trapped beneath the mower and in about 4 feet of water, Gloede’s head was under water. Neighbors John Berg, 58, and Robert Welch, 65, saw the accident, called the police and went to help Gloede get his head above the water.

When police arrived, the officer and neighbors tried to get the mower off of Gloede, but keeping their footing proved to be difficult, and the mower and Gloede sank deeper into the bottom of the pond.

Rescue personnel from the Caledonia Fire Department helped the officer and the neighbors get the mower off of Gloede and got him out of the water. They performed CPR on him, and Gloede regained consciousness after being under water for eight to 10 minutes.

Rescue workers transported Gloede to the hospital, and Gloede spoke to officers Saturday night.

According to the press release:

“The Caledonia Police Department wishes to extend their gratitude to the neighbors and citizens were assisted the police officer in attempts to rescue the trapped individual. These citizens risked personal safety to help the trapped victim and should be commended.”