MAGAZINE, Ark. — An Arkansas man trying to save a calf died Wednesday after he fell into a frozen pond, authorities said.
Jessie Roberts, 69, of Magazine, was found dead Wednesday after a friend went to his house to check on him, according to a Facebook post by the Logan County Sheriff’s Office. The friend saw Roberts’ truck by the pond but could not find him, so he called friends and family to conduct a search, KATV reported.
Sheriff Jason Massey said Roberts was last seen Tuesday, KFSM reported.
Roberts and the calf were later found dead in the pond, according to the television station.
The sheriff’s office called Roberts’ death a “tragic accident.”
“Jessie’s family said Jessie loved farming and loved his cattle and they have no doubt that when Jessie saw the calf get stuck in the pond, he went in to get the calf out,” the sheriff’s office posted on Facebook. “It is a heartbreaking loss for his family and friends and our thoughts and prayers go out to them.”
Temperatures in Magazine dipped to the mid-20s on Wednesday, KATV reported. Many bodies of water in Arkansas have become icy or frozen because of the winter storms that have blasted through the state.