Area woman trapped by floodwaters

WILLSHIRE — An area woman found out the hard way that flood waters can be dangerous after she drove down a section of Harner Road closed for high water and her vehicle stalled as she tried to negotiate the water.

Members of the Willshire Volunteer Fire Department were able to rescue the woman, but not until they requested a water rescue boat from the Decatur (Ind.) Fire Department.

Willshire Fire Chief D’wight Sheets said the woman, whose name was not released because immediate family had not yet been contacted, suffered from hypothermia due to exposure to the cold water.

“Her body temperature had fallen quite a bit,” Chief Sheets noted, adding that a life-flight helicopter had been requested, but he was not sure if the woman remained at Van Wert County Hospital or was transported to another hospital for treatment.