A Florida sheriff’s deputy put his life at risk to save a man trapped in floodwaters and was sucked into a drainage pipe.
Over the past few days, Escambia County has been ravaged by severe weather and relentless downpours, reaching their peak in the early hours of Friday morning. Deputy William Hollingsworth was on patrol, providing assistance to motorists who had become trapped in rapidly rising waters.
During his patrol, Deputy Hollingsworth and a stranded motorist were both sucked underwater into a drainage pipe, traveling nearly 100 feet beneath a four-lane highway before resurfacing on the other side, according to the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office.
Body camera footage shows the terrifying moment when Hollingsworth was engulfed by the floodwaters during the rescue attempt and ultimately dragged underwater through a roadside drainage pipe. For approximately 30 seconds, the deafening rush of water overwhelms all other sounds as Hollingsworth tumbled through darkness.
Both he and the motorist emerged on the other side of the highway alive.
After emerging, Hollingsworth rushed to the aid of the other individual.
“You okay, buddy? Can you believe what just happened to us?”
He instructs the man to breathe and extends a helping hand to assist him to his feet.
“I almost died,” the rescued citizen said.
Hollingsworth guided the man to safety and promptly called for additional police assistance. The grateful individual expressed his gratitude for the officer.
“When I emerged, you were right there,” he tells Hollingsworth.
Authorities reported 349 rescues from overnight flooding in Escambia County on Thursday, WEAR reported.