Cold Spring Man Drowns in Knaus Lake

COLD SPRING -- A Cold Spring man drowned while swimming in a Wakefield Township lake Friday evening.

The Stearns County Sheriff’s Office says around 5:00 p.m. 50-year-old Barry Schramel swam out into Knaus Lake to retrieve an inflatable beach toy that had floated away.

Authorities say while he was swimming back to shore he was hit by the wake of a passing boat and swallowed water. They say he went underwater after being hit by a second wake from another boat, about 30 yards away from the main island by the sandbar.

The sheriff’s office says Schramel was found in an area about six feet deep after nearly 20 minutes of searching.

Schramel was taken to St. Cloud Hospital where he later died.