"The water took the car:" Drivers learn danger of high water first hand after heavy rainfall Tuesday into Wednesday
MILWAUKEE (WITI) -- Another round of storms swept through Wisconsin during the late evening and early morning hours of June 17-18 -- causing power outages and flooding in some areas.
As a result of the heavy rainfall, officials say low lying areas and ramps can be dangerous for motorists.
Officials are warning drivers to avoid traveling through high water or standing water -- because most vehicles can be swept away in just two feet of moving water.
Wednesday around 2 a.m. two drivers found that out first hand as they were trying to go through the intersection at Locust Street and Fond Du Lac Ave.
"We get close to Locust and Fond Du Lac near the lights and the sewage system just explodes. Water rapidly starts coming up and the car instantly stops, and the water takes the car," said Dejuan McCord who was driving home from work at the time.
McCord said he and his passenger quickly realized they didn't have a choice other than to climb out of the car, and risk the unknown depths of the water.
"We climbed out of the windows. We jumped out of the car and the water was over waist high," said McCord.
McCord was not the only person to get stuck in the fast rising waters. Jerome Ballweg said he didn't see the water until it was too late.
"It was completely black out here and it didn't even look like there was water until it was too late," said Ballweg, "I hit the brakes but it slid into the water and started floating. That’s all she wrote."
He too had to abandon his car until the water receded. At that point they pushed their vehicles to the side of the road and waited for a tow truck. The men said there was at least one other car that attempted to drive through the water and needed help getting out.