Multiple water rescues occur near Brighton

    Two water rescues occurred on Dogwood Avenue near Brighton over the weekend. The first occurred early Friday morning at about 4 a.m. when Kyle Sobaski, 17, of Brighton, was rescued by boat after his pickup was swept off the road by floodwaters. The second occurred Saturday night at about 10:30 p.m. when Jake Franckowiak, 19, of Washington and Michael Dice, 20, of Washington were also rescued by boat after they waded into flood waters on Dogwood Avenue.

    Washington County rescuer Tim Wells responded to both water rescues. He said the dive team was dispatched both times but did not have to be used. He said that on Friday, when the call came in that Sobaski was in a pickup on a flooded street, the Washington County Rescue Unit and the Brighton First Responders went to the scene. Washington County Rescue launched its rescue boat on one side of the river while the Brighton First Responders launched their own on the other side. The Brighton First Responders got to Sobaski first and transported him to safety. Sobaski was checked out by ambulance staff and then released to his parents.

    When Wells arrived, Sobaski?s truck had drifted off the road and was sitting in the ditch with only the cab peering out above the water. Wells said the river continued to rise all weekend and as of Sunday night the pickup was still in it. Wells said that at the time of the first rescue there were road closure signs posted two miles from the flooded portion of the road.

    Washington County Sheriff Jerry Dunbar said water on Dogwood Avenue is at least 5 feet over the road, and that is assuming the road is still there.

    ?The road is gravel, so it could be washed out by now,? said Dunbar. ?A road can give just as a levy. If it does give, it could take another 5 feet of dirt with it easily. It could eat the whole road.?

For the full story, see the Aug. 16 edition of The Washington Evening Journal