Rural Watertown man dies after walking in blizzard from stuck vehicle

Authorities say a rural Watertown man has died after walking in a blizzard from his stuck vehicle Thursday evening.

The Codington County Sheriff's Office responded to a call at 172nd Street and 445th Avenue west of town just before 6 p.m. for a man who was having difficulty breathing.

The man had been walking in windchills down to 40 below zero with blowing snow and limited visibility.

Upon arrival, a Codington County sheriff’s deputy who is also an EMT ran about a half mile in the deep snow and assisted a good Samaritan with CPR on 46-year-old Joseph Pesall.

The Watertown Fire Department plowed a path so the ambulance could reach him.

Crews continued life saving measures and transported Pesall to the Prairie Lakes Hospital where he was pronounced dead.