A mother and her three young children had to be rescued from raging waters in West Fork Tuesday afternoon.
Uli Pettey and her three young boys, ages six, three and one, were driving on Dye Creek Road in West Fork. The water had risen so high it was rushing over the bridge to Dye Creek. However, Pettey felt she could still drive by.
Half way over her car stalled and she was stranded. Fire Departments from all over Northwest Arkansas were called in to help. "We just didn't want them to move too much, if they take weight off the car it could go over, want them to be as still as possible, calm as possible," said Chad Bydum of the West Fork Fire Department.
A Fayetteville ladder truck was called in, and a rescue worker proceeded to lift the children and Pettey out of the car window one at a time. Then the lift carried the family across the river to safety.
Witnesses say this was a near disaster that could have been avoided. "She should know better not to drive across the bridge when the water is up to your knees," said West Fork Chief Mitch McCorkle.
Pettey was charged with one count of careless driving and three individual counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
Uli Pettey and her three young boys, ages six, three and one, were driving on Dye Creek Road in West Fork. The water had risen so high it was rushing over the bridge to Dye Creek. However, Pettey felt she could still drive by.
Half way over her car stalled and she was stranded. Fire Departments from all over Northwest Arkansas were called in to help. "We just didn't want them to move too much, if they take weight off the car it could go over, want them to be as still as possible, calm as possible," said Chad Bydum of the West Fork Fire Department.
A Fayetteville ladder truck was called in, and a rescue worker proceeded to lift the children and Pettey out of the car window one at a time. Then the lift carried the family across the river to safety.
Witnesses say this was a near disaster that could have been avoided. "She should know better not to drive across the bridge when the water is up to your knees," said West Fork Chief Mitch McCorkle.
Pettey was charged with one count of careless driving and three individual counts of endangering the welfare of a child.
