Local rescue units aid in truck recovery

Multiple Shackelford County emergency units responded after 19-year-old Jordan Carley lost control of her 2002 Chevrolet pickup around 1:35 p.m. Monday in rainy conditions and ended up in the middle of a stock tank off Hwy. 180 a few miles east of Albany.

Carley managed to get out of the truck before it sank and then swam to shore. Other motorists attempted to keep her warm until she was checked out by EMS personnel.

According to sheriff Ed Miller, a rollover had occurred about a mile away a couple of hours earlier.

“We’ve had a lot of accidents in that area,” he said. “That part of the highway just gets extremely slick in wet weather.”

He urged drivers to slow down when it rains and remember not to use their cruise control on wet roads.

He also asked that they reduce speed when they approach accident scenes.

Albany volunteer firemen Joel Viertel and Travis Gardenhire, both of whom have been trained for water rescues, donned wet suits and swam out in the frigid water to wrap a chain through the cab of the truck so it could be pulled out.