Yankton Woman Airlifted to Sioux Falls After Near-Drowning

This is the time of year you start hearing stories like this. And the thing is, in this case, and many others, the outcome is uncertain.

Dakota News Now and the Yankton Buzz are reporting that a Yankton woman, identified by officials as 27-year-old Tallan Smith, has been hospitalized after nearly drowning at a beach off of the Toe Road around 4:30 PM on Thursday, June 2, 2022.

This is according to a statement from the Yankton County Sherriff's Office.

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Toe Road according to the Yankton Convention & Visitors Bureau is - -

2.5 miles, on-road and off-road paved, flat grade. Travel on this on-road trail portion from the Lewis & Clark Lake Trail, past Pierson Ranch Recreation Area and Cottonwood Campground. Then it hops off-road and becomes a 10′ wide asphalt path down to the shores of Lake Yankton, where it winds through picnic areas, Lake Yankton Beach, boat ramps and ends at Chief White Crane Recreation Area.

It was reported that two kayakers spotted Smith in the water. They called for help towards the beach area and people ran out into the water and then brought her to shore.

Smith was transported to Sacred Heart Hospital and then airlifted to a Sioux Falls hospital. There has been no information about her condition at this time.

As a longtime former resident of Yankton, who spent a lot of time at Lewis & Clark Lake, I can confirm that the lake can be extremely murky and rocky in places. And in some areas of the lake, there is a lot of plant growth to get caught in.

We will update this story as information becomes available.

This is drone footage of the Lewis & Clark Lake Toe Road Trail:

Sources: Dakota News Now, Google Maps, Yankton Buzz, YouTube and Yankton Convention & Visitors' Bureau

Here Are The 7 Remaining Drive-In Theaters In South Dakota

If you were born last century...you know, in the nineteen hundreds (ugh)...you may have spent a summer evening in the car watching movies. I don't mean on your phone, I mean at the drive-in movie theater!

If you were in Sioux Falls in the 1970s and '80's you may remember seeing Jaws and Indiana Jones at The East Park or the Starlite Drive-In. Both drive-ins opened just after World War 2. The East Park didn't make it out of the '70s, closing in 1978. The Starlite survived long enough to see the birth of home video, closing in 1985.

FLASHBACK: Remember the East Park and Starlite Drive-in Theaters in Sioux Falls?

Drive-in movies had a bit of a resurgence during the pandemic. They were a way to go out and do something social without getting out of your car.

If you tried one during that time, or you remember the fun of a warm summer evening watching movies on that giant screen there are still places in South Dakota and around Sioux Falls you can do it.

Source: Yankton Woman Airlifted to Sioux Falls Hospital Following Frightening Near-Drowning