Perry County fire department helps man on flooded bridge

PERRYVILLE, Mo. -- The Perry County Rural Fire Department helped a Ste. Genevieve, Mo., man out of his flooded vehicle Sunday after he attempted to drive over a flooded bridge and became stuck.

Andrew Jokerst, 27, was unharmed in the incident, according to a news release from the Perry County Sheriff's Department.

Jokerst was attempting to drive through water over a bridge on Perry County Road 810 at Saline Creek about 5 p.m. when the car he was driving stalled.

The fire department was able to remove Jokerst from the vehicle and back to dry ground, according to the release, and a tow truck was able to retrieve the vehicle before it washed off the bridge.

In the release, Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf warned about the potential danger of driving through floodwaters.

"We stress this sort of thing all the time" Schaaf said, "and yet people still attempt to drive their vehicle over flooded roadways and bridges. Luckily for Mr. Jokerst he didn't get washed off the bridge. He didn't get hurt in this incident and his vehicle will probably be OK after it dries out, but it could easily have gotten much worse for him in an instant. It doesn't take a whole lot of moving water to wash a vehicle, or a person, off a bridge or roadway. Never drive through moving floodwater."

Pertinent address:

Perryville, Mo.