By Joshunda Sanders
Austin American-Statesman (Texas)
Copyright 2007 The Austin American-Statesman
All Rights Reserved
AUSTIN — Ignoring the safety slogan “Turn around, don’t drown,” four people returning from a party in San Marcos drove around a barricade at a low water crossing early Sunday and were arrested after 25 first responders worked for two hours to rescue them from the top of their sinking pickup, a city spokeswoman said.
Britt Michael Walker, 19, drove around a barricade warning that the crossing at Uhland Road was closed to traffic because of high water, San Marcos spokeswoman Melissa Millecam said.
Ignoring a barricade under normal conditions, such as in a construction zone, can result in a fine of up to $500, Hays County sheriff’s office spokesman Leroy Opiela said. Doing so when the barricade is meant to deter motorists from dangerous conditions, such as high water, can mean up to 180 days in jail and a fine of up to $2,000.
Walker was charged with driving while intoxicated and deadly conduct, a more serious charge, for putting his passengers in danger, Opiela said. He said that Walker, who is out on bail, could face a year in jail and fines totalling several thousand dollars.
The swift-water rescue was the latest involving Central Texas drivers caught in high water caused by heavier-than-usual March rains.
On March 12, Mary Rachel Quest, 24, drowned after her compact car stalled in two to three feet of water at a low water crossing in the 1500 block of Laubach Road in Guadalupe County.
Gloria Janet Shirk, 52, died after her Chrysler Sebring was swept downstream about 150 yards during flash flooding in Comal County on the same day.
On March 13, 80-year-old Fred List died after a failed rescue attempt at a low water crossing in Georgetown.
Late Saturday evening, Walker drove Kati Walker, 18, Mustafa Shadid, 20, and Matthew Belisle, 19, across a bridge over the Blanco River to attend a party, San Marcos Fire Department Chief Mike Baker said. When they returned about 3:30 a.m. Sunday, six to eight inches of water was flowing over the crossing, and the vehicle was either washed off or drove off the road, Millecam said.
By the time firefighters arrived, the pickup had drifted 50 feet downstream from the bridge, Millecam said. Firefighters backed a 100-foot ladder truck into the river to reach the stranded group.
“These kids came really close to getting wiped out,” Millecam said.
Firefighters gave the group four life jackets and pulled them from the truck two at a time using the ladder.
The pickup was still in the Blanco River early Sunday afternoon, Millecam said.
Kati Walker, Shadid and Belisle were charged with public intoxication.
They were released from the Hays County jail by Sunday afternoon.
Although some fire departments bill people for their rescues, Baker said San Marcos does not.
Opiela said that two or three drivers in recent weeks had been ticketed for driving around barricades in Hays County, but he added that he had no way of knowing how common it was for drivers to ignore the dangers of water over roads.
“Don’t put our emergency responders at risk by doing something like this,” Baker said.
“If there’s another way to go, just don’t go through the barricade.”