Icy Floodwaters Trap Man and Dog in Truck

By Josh Hinkle, Anchor/Reporter

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By Josh Hinkle

Story Created: Mar 23, 2008 at 12:05 PM CST

Story Updated: Mar 23, 2008 at 5:41 PM CST

JOHNSON COUNTY - From the bank of Amana Road south of Swisher on Sunday morning, you could see a red pickup truck sinking slowly into the overflow of the Iowa River. The truck was about the same distance as two football fields away from the where the road now ends.

The driver thought he could make it to the other side of Amana Road, but the water quickly began rushing in through the door, stalling the truck where you see it now. He and his dog were trapped inside.

He was afraid to leave the truck because of the rushing water, so he used his cell phone to call authorities for rescue. The truck started tilting further into the water on the passenger side. The driver said it was up to his neck before crews got to him.

Swisher Fire, North Liberty police and the Johnson County Sheriff all responded. They were able to walk far enough out and then use a paramedic's backboard as a ramp, so the driver and his dog could crawl out to safety.

John Rundall, Swisher's assistant fire chief, says, "(The driver) was a bit upset. It was my understanding that he does not know how to swim. Dispatch did relay that to us so, he was visibly upset by the time we got to him."

When TV9 arrived at the scene, the driver was already out of the truck. But as our crew drove up, you could see road after road completely under water.

Firefighters say, in the case of this driver, someone had moved the "road closed" signs, so he didn't realize how dangerous is would be. Those signs are posted once again.

Paramedics treated the driver at the scene. He and his dog were uninjured, just a little shaken after this near miss.

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