Video released Friday shows a deputy getting pulled into a flooded drain pipe — from the perspective of the deputy.
The Escambia County Sheriff’s Office released the bodycam video from Deputy William Hollingsworth as he was trying to get to a citizen who was trapped in the floodwaters. After Hollingsworth is pulled down, you see near-total darkness and hear the sound of the deputy struggling underwater for more than 30 seconds.
Both the citizen and the deputy were swept 100 feet under a four-lane highway. They both were able to make it to the other side OK.
Here is the release from the sheriff’s office:
Over the past few days, Escambia County has experienced severe weather and torrential downpours, peeking in the early morning hours of June 16th.
During those hours, Escambia County Deputy William Hollingsworth was on patrol and helping stranded motorists caught in rapidly rising waters.
At one point, Deputy Hollingsworth exited his patrol car to approach a citizen who was trapped in these rising waters. As he approached, Deputy Hollingsworth witnessed the citizen go underwater and rushed to his aid without regard for his own safety.
During the rescue attempt, both the citizen and Deputy Hollingsworth were sucked into a drainage pipe and were swept underneath the four-lane roadway of Hwy 98. They were submerged for approximately 30 seconds and traveled nearly 100 feet underwater. They eventually resurfaced on the other end of the roadway – lucky to be alive.
The footage you’re about to see is from Deputy Hollingsworth’s body camera. It shows the dramatic events from this morning and is an example of the exceptional courage displayed by the men and women of law enforcement every day.
