At 12:16 a.m. on Sunday, January 19, 2025, the Ashland-Bayfield Emergency Communication Center received a call. A person reported that their friend, a 20-year old man from Ashland, Wisconsin, named Harlow Pruess, was late joining them. They were to meet on the Chequamegon Bay for ice fishing. The missing person was reported to be on a snowmobile, and they had not heard from him since 9:03 p.m. on January 18, 2025.
Members of the U.S. Coast Guard, Great Lakes Indian Fish & Wildlife Commission, Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources, Ashland Fire Department, Ashland Police Department, and Ashland County Sheriff’s Office responded and began searching for the man.
At approximately 10 a.m. on January 19, 2025, Harlow was found, deceased, in open water.
The incident is currently being investigated by the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources and the Ashland County Sheriff’s Office.