Tarrant Co. Deputy Rescued In Dangerous High Waters, Driver Still Missing

Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter

FORT WORTH (CBS 11 NEWS) - A Tarrant County Sheriff's Deputy was rescued early this morning in Fort Worth.

Deputy Krystal Salazar was attempting to rescue a driver that was stuck in rushing water near Rendon-Crowley Road.

The driver is still missing at this time and the Fort Worth Fire Department says the search for her is on hold until possibly Saturday morning due to high, fast-moving water filled with dangerous debris.

Deputy Salazar arrived on the scene after the driver called her son in law and told him she was stuck.

"As Deputy Salazar approached the vehicle the rain and the water was at such a high rate of flow across the roadway, as she was attempting to get into car where the trapped lady was, she herself was swept into the water, taken downstream and lost," said Terry Grisham, spokesman for the Tarrant County Sheriff's Office. "We feared the worst for deptuty Salazar."

Salazar was found clinging to a tree a couple hours later and has been taken to John Peter Smith Hospital in Fort Worth.

"There was a collective cheer when they heard, 'Yeah, we may have her.' It was a good time," said Fort Worth firefighter Kyle Clay. "But it's still very sad that we've got somebody that is still out there."

"We knew when we answered the 911 call that there was a life in danger and when Deputy Salazar arrived at scene she saw immediately that there was a life in danger so she put her own life on the line to try to do the rescue," Grisham said. "While we are thanking God for our prayers being answered that Deputy Salazar has been found alive and we believe will recover, our thoughts and prayers are still with the family and the lady who is still trapped in the vehicle."

Salazar is currently at JPS Hospital and is a five and a half year veteran on the force.