At approximately 1:30 am Sunday, a 2006 maroon Nissan Frontier Pickup drove into, and was swept away by, swift moving water at 10-Mile Crossing in southern Brown County. The location is off County Road 257. “When that vehicle was swept off the road it had three occupants in it,” said Brownwood Fire Chief, Ed Wood. “It had a 41-year old female driver who is a Brown County resident, front seat passenger was a 29-year old male, a Brown County resident, and the rear seat passenger, who is missing, is a 60 year-old female and is a Mills County resident,” Wood said.

As of Sunday evening when KOXE News was at the scene of search efforts, the water was swiftly moving down the Pecan Bayou. Wood estimated the water to be possibly 30 feet deep at the crossing point.
“It (vehicle) submerged. The front two occupants got out of the vehicle and were washed south toward Mills County along the Pecan Bayou. The male subject in the vehicle made it to shore and got out and started walking and walked approximately two miles back toward town in an effort to call for help. The driver of the vehicle was swept away in the flood waters, was clinging hold to the bank and remained there until such time as we could get a rescue affected at that location. Occupant number three has not been seen since nor has the vehicle,” Wood said.
The vehicle was swept away at 1:30 am Sunday but it wasn’t until 8:30 am that those involved could contact fire and EMS. “Our crews responded, Engine 9, Engine 9-2 and a Battalion Chief, said Wood. “On their way to the incident location, they ran across occupant number two and he described to them where the driver of the vehicle was and the last seen location of the vehicle which was swept away. Our engine crew took him out to the Pecan Bayou, made access on a ranch that was close to there and entered the swift water with their protective gear and extricated that victim,” Wood said.

The victim was flown to Brownwood Regional Medical Center. She was listed in Stable condition as of about 2:00 pm Sunday, Wood said.

Involved in the search efforts through Sunday afternoon and evening are the Early Fire Department, Zephyr Fire Department, Brown County Sheriff’s Office, Brown County Emergency Management, Lifeguard and Texas Parks and Wildlife Game Wardens.
“We’ve searched the water, up and down for a couple of miles, by water, have not seen anything, have not been able to locate a vehicle. We contacted Texas DPS and searched by air about six to six and a half miles down. We’ve notified Mills County and they have also searched the area,” Wood said.

As of 5 pm Sunday, authorities were still trying to locate the vehicle and missing occupant. Names of those involved have not been released at this time.

(KOXE photos taken from the west side of 10 Mile Crossing shows a Texas Parks and Wildlife Department boat near the water on the east side of the crossing. The high water sign leading to the crossing is also shown)