KNOX COUNTY, Tenn. — Water quickly engulfed Ebenezer Road in Knoxville on Saturday, and witnesses said one Mercedes owner felt brave enough to take on the floodwater until his car stalled and was stuck.
The driver got stuck around 10 a.m., according to witnesses. Over the course of the day, the water rose high enough to completely submerge the 2010 Mercedes.
Tow trucks and dive crews attempted to hook the car and reel it in, but the current swept the car away from the original spot and crews were unable to locate it as of 7 p.m. Saturday.
Some people at the nearby Sunoco watched and snapped pictures as a man waded through the water to safety. Josh Thomas wondered why people would risk driving in the floodwater when it's safer to just find an alternate route.
"Yeah I turned around because obviously, I can’t get home this way anymore so I’m just trying to find another way home, it's not worth it," Thomas urged.
Picture snapped by Bunny Blevins of car initially stuck at 10:30 a.m.
Picture snapped by Bunny Blevins a few hours after the car initially got stuck.
Swift waters also caused a man and woman to get trapped inside their car at Tyson Park. DJ Corcoran with the Knoxville Fire Department said the quickly moving water pushed the couple's van against a guard rail.
"The guard rail was actually keeping them from going into deeper water and so the rescue truck launched their rescue boat and were able to get those individuals out," Corcoran noted.
The individuals were taken to the hospital for possible hypothermia, according to Corcoran.
Overall, Corcoran urges everyone to turn around and don't drown when faced with floodwater on roadways.
Many roads in Knox County were closed on Saturday and will not open back up until crews determine the areas are safe.
