Yesterday, police officers rescued 70-year-old truck driver Dwayne Michael from the cab of his submerged truck in Jasper County, Iowa.
According to a media release, Jasper County Sheriffs’s office received a call from a motorist who was traveling on Interstate 80 and noticed “a large wet spot” and debris on the highway.
Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty stated that Deputy Jeremy Burdess responded to the call and found a truck between the bridges, submerged in water.
“Deputy Burdess called for assistance immediately… Newton Officer Adam Herman and Baxter Police Officer Joe Bartello also responded.”
“He arrived at the bridge over Prairie Creek and he observed a tractor trailer that was down between the two bridges – between the lanes of the interstate,” Halferty said.
“It was pretty dark, but he could see the tractor part of the semi was almost completely submerged in water.”
Soon after the first officer arrived on the scene, Newton Police Officer Adam Herman and Baster Police Officer Jeff Bartello arrived. The three officers waded into the flooded waters.
“The officers determined that the driver was trapped inside the cabin in a small air pocket. The officers were able to communicate with the driver and eventually, Officer Bartello, swam underwater through the front windshield to lead the driver out,” Halferty stated.
Michael was taken to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries.