Other than being cold, wet and embarrassed, Robson Ranch resident Bruce Sandelin was none the worse after being fished out of a small lake at the entrance to the gated community Thursday night.

But he’s grateful to a church pastor who rescued him from the 12-foot-deep water after he accidentally drove into the lake on his way home from bowling.

There are three small lakes fronting the entrance, and his pearl-white Buick Lucerne went into the middle one next to the rock bridge about 9:25 p.m.

About that time, Jim Mann was leaving Robson Ranch. He is pastor of New Life Church in Denton and also leads a congregation at the active adult retirement community off Crawford Road.

He could not be reached Friday, but his father, Ralph Mann, a resident at Robson Ranch, said his son looked into his rearview mirror as he left the housing community and saw headlights going into the water.

DRC/David Minton

Onlookers watch as a Buick Lucerne is pulled out a small lake at the entrance to the Robson Ranch community in Denton on Friday after being secured by diver James Freeman of Tow Boat U.S.

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He drove as close as he could and then waded in until it was so deep he had to swim, his father said.

At first, Sandelin didn’t realize the seriousness of the situation.

“He was happening by about the time I was taking a bath,” Sandelin said. “I was trying to stay with the car, and he kept trying to get me to come to the shore. I didn’t know how deep it was. He convinced me to leave the car and swim to shore with him. It was a good thing.”

The two men watched as the car sank under water, out of sight. Firefighters arrived after receiving a 911 call and treated both men for mild hypothermia.

On Friday morning, a diver helped locate the car and hook it up to a tow truck for its trip out of the chilly water.

“The car wasn’t all that badly damaged,” Sandelin said. “The windshield was cracked.”

Will it run?

“I don’t know,” he said. “I doubt it. My insurance adjuster says I’ll be buying a new car before the first of the year.”

The biggest cost of all, he said, is to his pride.

DONNA FIELDER can be reached at 940-566-6885. Her e-mail address is dfielder@dentonrc.com.