Man arrested following false drowning report

Police have arrested a Minnesota man accused of lying about a drowning friend, a report that prompted Minnesota and Wisconsin authorities to launch a massive search.

The sheriff's department in St. Croix County, Wis., says it received a report of a possible drowning on the St. Croix River on Saturday just before 10 p.m.

Campers told authorities a 23-year-old Oak Park Heights man swam from a boat claiming one of his friends had drowned. Witnesses say the man then ran into the woods.

Rescue officials from both states converged and conducted a lengthy search. They eventually determined that everyone who had been with the man was accounted for.

The man was arrested on a probation violation.

---

Information from: KSTP-TV

Create a More Connected Minnesota

MPR News is your trusted resource for the news you need. With your support, MPR News brings accessible, courageous journalism and authentic conversation to everyone - free of paywalls and barriers. Your gift makes a difference.