TxDOT workers save man from near drowning

Jan. 13, 2025

By Kristen Prater

GREENVILLE, Texas — It takes about 12 inches of water to float most vehicles, and the rushing water across the I-30 frontage road last month was no match for a 2019 Ford Fiesta.

While checking barricades on the flooded frontage roads, Casey Aaron, a TxDOT transportation tech, noticed the Ford Fiesta pass him and drive straight through the barricade.

The sedan was quickly picked up by the fast-moving current and pulled towards East Caddo Creek. Aaron watched as the driver climbed through a window and jump out of the car.

“He jumped out and I followed him when he floated under the two bridges and then caught him at the third bridge on the frontage road,” Aaron said. “When I got there all I could see was his hand and little bit of his forearm. I grabbed what I could see. Everything else was underwater.”

Aaron tried several times to pull the man to safety, but the rushing water and slick conditions made the task impossible. Several other TxDOT workers arrived and helped lift the man out of the raging water.

“These TxDOT employees had to act quickly while staying safe and coming together as a team to save this man’s life,” said Noel Paramanantham, TxDOT’s chief engineer in the Paris District. “We are proud of the work they do to keep the public safe.”

The road crew stayed with the man until emergency medical responders arrived.

Flash flooding is the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Texas. If you encounter a flooded road, "Turn Around, Don't Drown."