TONOPAH, Ariz. — A Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office helicopter crew rescued a driver stranded on an overturned pickup as rapidly rising floodwater surrounded the vehicle near Tonopah, Arizona, on Sept. 29.
The rescue unfolded near 327th Avenue and Salome Highway. Arizona Fire & Medical Authority crews found a silver Toyota Tacoma on its side in the wash with a man on top of the vehicle, about 30 feet from the shoreline, according to local reporting citing responding agencies.
With the water continuing to rise, rescuers requested help from the sheriff’s aviation unit. Pilot Rich Dickner and Deputy Lindsey Smith carried out the helicopter rescue, with Smith lowered roughly 80 feet to reach the stranded driver. The crew brought him to safety in under five minutes.
The driver was evaluated after the rescue. Reports from responding agencies said no firefighters or deputies were injured.
Video shows rapidly rising water around the truck
Video released by the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office shows the man on the overturned truck as muddy water rushes around it and the helicopter rescue specialist descends toward him. Zark News is not republishing or modifying that footage at this time because we have not independently verified an explicit license from the sheriff’s office permitting download, editing, vertical cropping or Zark branding.
The original footage is credited to the Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office. Zark News will add or produce a social-video version only if reuse and modification rights are confirmed.
The rescue came amid dangerous flooding across parts of the Southwest. Officials continue to warn drivers not to enter flooded roadways because water depth and current can change rapidly.