Wednesday, August 6, 2008 --- 1 p.m.

According to the Madison Police Department:

Early Wednesday morning, around 1:50 a.m., Madison Police responded to North Lake Street and Lake Mendota after receiving information that a car had just driven in to the water. A responding officer discovered there was a 1999 Buick Century about 75-feet from the shoreline. The officer could see about two feet of the rear of the car, which was still above water. The rest of the Buick was submerged.

A man wearing wet clothes approached the officer and said this was entirely his fault, that he "must have taken a wrong turn." The driver said he was not injured and was able to swim safely to shore. A motorcyclist told officers the car had nearly hit him at the corner of State and Lake Streets just before it entered the lake. The wet driver told officers he was alone in the Buick, but the Dane County Sheriff's Department Dive Team was called in just to make sure that was the case. It was.

Suspect(s) Jeremiah J. Hoefle, age 20, Waunakee

Mr. Hoefle was arrested and tentatively charged with Operating a Motor Vehicle While Under the Influence, Reckless Driving, and Underage Person Consumes Alcohol Off Licensed Premises.