Two fishermen escaped injury Sunday after their boat overturned on a private pond in Mt. Pleasant Township.
David Costanzo and a friend were fishing on the 17-acre pond owned by Leonard and Marge Schwartz of Mt. Pleasant Township, when the accident occurred. Lt. Roger Dix, Pleasant Mount Emergency Services, says they were toned out around 4:45 p.m. to the Route 670 property, just north of the Red School House.
Mrs. Schwartz said Mr. Costanzo’s fishing buddy had “caught a nice fish,” and accidentally tipped the boat over trying to reel it in. “He lost his balance and the boat tipped over,” she said.
She says a family friend, working outside, heard the two men’s calls for help and ran to get a rowboat to assist them. Mrs. Shwartz, who dialed 9-1-1, says rescue personnel were on scene within minutes. “The response was tremendous,” she said.
Lt. Dix said they had about eight firefighters on scene with additional ambulance personnel.
Steven Richner, Jr. was helping his dad, Steven Richner, Sr., at their Pleasant Mount farm, when his dad’s pager went off. They only live about two-and-half miles away, the younger Richner said, so he went along to see if he could help out. Once on scene, he says he saw someone in a rowboat trying to help the other two men whose small, aluminum boat had capsized.
The younger Richner waded out about eight to ten feet from shore, up to his waist in cold water, to help an older gentleman ashore. Richner says the man was trying to get out, but was weighed down by wet clothing. A humble hero, Richner says he wasn’t looking for credit for helping out.
Mrs. Schwartz said both men were fine following their ordeal. “They’re very lucky,” she said. Both refused treatment at the scene.
An area dive team, originally placed on standby, was canceled.
