Woman Rescued After Car is Swept Down Raging Red Arroyo

Visibility was low on Monday evening when Shelby Spencer climbed into her boyfriend's 2009 Honda Civic and left her job as a waitress at Texas Roadhouse. By 10:00 p.m. San Angelo streets had slicked over and filled, and Spencer was headed right for one of the city's treacherous low water crossings. 

On her way to pick up her boyfriend from work, the young college student drove toward the loop on Southwest, nearing the Red Arroyo. A moment later, Spencer lost visibility and the vehicle lost traction and began to float.

"It started hailing and pouring really hard and I couldn't really see anything," Spencer said, still soaked from the rainwater. "I was going slow...then all of a sudden the water washed me off the street."

In a quick sweep, the water pushed the car into the Red Arroyo, where it traveled for approximately 25 feet. Spencer was still inside.  

"It started to sink and I climbed out the window," she said. "I attempted to get on the roof and then I fell into the water and he grabbed me and pulled me up. There was somebody there and they pulled me up onto the grass."

Spencer said she believed the man that saved her had been in his car leaving McDonald's when he spotted her in the Red Arroyo. The name of the man is unknown; after saving Spencer he left the scene, but she is grateful for the help of the heroic stranger.

"I was freaking out because I've never been in a wreck or anything and I didn't know what to do," she said. "I just got off work and I had to grab all my stuff because it was floating." 

Spencer's boyfriend, Dorian Herrick, showed up at the scene after she had been rescued. His car traveled down the Red Arroyo until it was stopped by flood drain bars. 

The San Angelo Fire Department arrived to assist Spencer, however the car will be left in the Arroyo until Tuesday morning, when water will be lower and retrieving the auto will be easier. 

San Angelo LIVE! is on the search for the Good Samaritan, and would like to buy him lunch. Send us a message if you know of the man that saved Spencer's life.