Members of the Maries County Sheriff’s Office, the Vichy Volunteer Fire Department, the Missouri State Highway Patrol Water Patrol and a Rolla water rescue team were successful in a dangerous swift water rescue last Friday night in the Spring Creek area of Maries County.

Sheriff Chris Heitman said Major Scott John with Sheriff’s Deputies Sugg, Sasseen and Harp responded to MCR 527 where two people in a truck were stuck on a low water bridge across Spring Creek. The people had used a cell phone to call for help. Heavy rains that day filled area creeks and rivers and Spring Creek was running deep and swift over the low water crossing. 

Sheriff Heitman said the water rescuers used ropes attached to the boat to keep it from going downstream and were able to get to the truck and get the two people out. The sheriff said if it had lasted 15 minutes longer, the truck would have been swept down the creek. He said the truck was moving slighting in the down stream direction during the water rescue. 

“They were professional and brave to enter the flooded creek and rescue these two people,” he said. “Please let this be a reminder to never cross a flooded low water bridge if you are unsure of the depth or flow of the water.” Turn around, don’t drown.

The Maries County Sheriff’s Office does not have equipment for water rescue. Sheriff Heitman said he would like to get these resources and some training in water rescue, possibly in conjunction with the local fire departments. It’s important because every year they are called to do a water rescue when local streams are big due to heavy rainfall.