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VERNAL — A 52-year-old man died after falling through the ice on Steinaker Reservoir Saturday morning, police said.
The man, Travis Hanchett of Vernal, was ice fishing with his dog when he fell through the ice around 9:14 a.m., according to the Uintah County Sheriff's Office. Witnesses told police they heard a man yell and then saw the dog jump in the water; however, they were unable to see Hanchett when they went to the area.
Search and rescue teams responded and began searching the area where they found the dog. Around 10:50 a.m., Hanchett was found dead 5 to 6 feet from where he fell in and about 10 feet under the water.
"With warming temperatures, we urge everyone to use extreme caution on frozen lakes and waterways as ice levels in some areas are beginning to thin, especially near reservoir inlets," the office said on Facebook.
