Drowning on Fountain Lake

At 1055 hours on July 13, 2023, the Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office received a call of a person drowning on Fountain Lake. The Freeborn County Sheriff’s Office was assisted
by the Albert Lea Police Department, the Albert Lea Fire Department, the MN DNR, the
MN State Patrol, and Mayo Ambulance service.
The reported area of the drowning was the Edgewater boat landing. The DNR Officer
was already on the lake and was on scene almost immediately in his boat. He was
pointed to an area approximately 20 feet east of the dock at the landing. The water is
about 8 ½ feet deep in this area. Search efforts were immediately begun by the DNR.
Arriving officers from the ALPD and ALFD also began dive searches in the area.
The Sheriff’s Office and the ALFD also responded with boats to the area. Utilizing side
imaging technology, the Sheriff’s Office was able to locate the victim after about 1 hour
of searching. He was identified as Matthew Jay Anderson, 66, of Albert Lea, MN.
One member from the ALFD was injured during the search when he was stuck with a
hook from one of the bottom drags.