MCCRACKEN COUNTY, Ky. (LEX 18) — The McCracken County Sheriff's Office reports that they rescued a man stranded in floodwaters early Tuesday morning after he allegedly drove around "road closed" signs on Bonds Road.
According to officials, when deputies arrived on the scene, they could not reach the man, identified as Thomas Gonzalez, so they located a residence with a small boat outside.
Officials say the boat's owner offered to drive it to the flooded area. Once in the area, "deputies paddled the boat to where they found Gonzalez clinging to a tree."
According to officials, deputies couldn't get Gonzalez into the boat due to the depth of the water, so one deputy assisted him in holding onto the boat until they reached dry land. After reaching a dry area, officials say they were able to pull Gonzalez into the boat and paddle out of the flood waters.
Officials note that Gonzalez was in the water for "about 30 minutes and was taken by EMS to an area hospital."
After further investigation, officials say it appears that Gonzalez was "traveling on Bonds Road, attempting to reach Oaks Road, when he drove around a road closed signs and through the shallow flood waters before reaching water that was too deep to drive through."
Officials say the "water began coming through the truck's doors and caused the vehicle to stall."
The sheriff's office reminds the community not to ignore closed road signs, saying they are "in place for a reason."
In a Facebook post, the McCracken County Sheriff's Office notes that they plan to "consult with the County Attorney's Office regarding criminal charges for people who drive around signs or into flood waters."
