Two men perish under the ice in the Assunpink
BY JANE MEGGIT and
JENNIFER KOHLHEPP
Staff Writers

Upper Freehold - Two men drowned in the Assunpink Lake on Friday.

Lawrenceville's Bryan Eaton, 45, and his father, George, 82, who were ice fishing on the lake on the afternoon of March 9, reportedly fell through the ice and drowned in the freezing water of the lake, according to the New Jersey State Police.

Police could not locate the men on Friday night but discovered the bodies beneath the ice about 40 yards from shore at around 10 a.m. on Saturday, according to police.

Investigators have determined that the father may have fallen through the ice trying to save his son, who fell through first, according to police.

Autopsies are being performed to determine the exact cause of death, police said.

Doug Walsh, of Upper Freehold, is a regular ice fisherman as were the Eatons.

He said he was taken aback when he saw a photo of George Eaton in a local newspaper.

"During the beginning of the ice-fishing season, my son, his friend and I made our way onto Assunpink Lake where only a portion of the lake was covered with ice," Walsh said. "It was a bitterly cold and windy day, and I happened upon this gentleman that appeared to be the fellow in the paper."

Walsh said he remembered Eaton Sr. because he was impressed that a man at his age was out there in the elements unprotected.

"It says a lot for the passion a person has for the sport," Walsh said.

Walsh said he inquired about whether Eaton had had any luck, and Eaton responded that he had not.

"We were not dressed for the temperatures so we quickly left the ice," Walsh said. "On that day the ice was about 3 to 4 inches. thick."

With regard to the recent accident, Walsh offered advice for those who may consider ice fishing.

He said to never fish alone on an unknown lake since underground springs can keep water open for a long time. He also said to always carry a cell phone and a rope.

"Some fisherman tie two ice picks on string around their collar, and [the string is] connected to their jacket [and] hanging down," he said. "This way if they fall in, they have tools to dig into the ice to help pull themselves up."

Walsh said those who ice fish should also know the thickness of the ice.

"Rule of thumb is 3 inches," he said. "At my weight, I am comfortable with 5 inches."

Walsh said the Eatons were seasoned ice fisherman, and his heart goes out to them and their families.

"It is hard to speculate what happened, but one or two warm days does not necessarily bring an end to the ice," he said. "This year, the ice was 6 to 8 inches in areas, and that could hold a car. I think they found a soft spot that thawed a little quicker than usual."