 | Marc C. Davis received his J.D. from Washburn University School of law in 2001. While attending law school he clerked for firms in Topeka, including Palmer, Leatherman &White. Since graduation, Marc has started a solo practice where he specializes in criminal defense. Marc did not take the most direct route to law. After waiting tables for about 10 years, Marc decided to make a change and quickly got his G.E.D. and a bachelors degree in anthropology from WSU in1998. When he is not working, Marc loves to golf and shoot pool. He also likes to fish, especially the gulf of Mexico. |
Legal
2003-10-01 11:35:00
The turnpike flood, first hand
: The recent flooding tragedies of the turnpike between Wichita and Kansas City have left me baffled and confused. How does a wall of water hit like it did? How does one know whether to stay in or abandon his/her vehicle as water continues to rise?
ANSWER: I don't know whether or not I am an authority on being able t answer your question, but I was there. I can attest. there are many things one might think of doing given the time to think. It happened to quick. Here's my story: I was heading North on I-35, thinking of nothing but a long, enjoyable and well-deserved weekend in Kansas City. I thought, "I sure hope this rain lets up or it's not going to be as enjoyable as could be." I was about 7 miles North of Emporia. The rain had now turned in to literal 'sheets' of rain. I was heading downhill to a valley when I noticed a car stopped in the middle of the road. I could not see clearly. As I slowed down, I began to notice people getting out or their cars. Something was not right. Little did I know at the time of the horrifying ordeal I was about to witness. About the only thing I can remember as I entered this valley was all the cars. people outside of them. and the concrete barriers to my right. After about 20 minutes, troopers arrived and began clearing an emergency access lane. Looking ahead to the valley, I could see what seemed like a 'wall' of gushing water. Across this water were more cars, coming from the South, in the same situation I was in. Cars on both sides of the valley had no idea how deep the water was between us. With the rain still coming down ever so hard, and the water in the valley rising noticeably, I could see this was about to become a very serious situation. Over 90 minutes passed. The water in the ditch had risen at least 2 feet. White caps began forming not only in the ditch, but also in the valley ahead of me. I watched a man just two cars in front of me get out of his car and ask people to back up. The water had risen so his tires were covered with water. After the cars behind him made room, he tried to turn around. The water was too high. His car was swept first into the ditch, then into the massive valley of water below. It was then that the concrete barriers gave way, adding to the already grave situation. I learned later this was the man from Texas who lost his life. At this point, it seemed like there was about 40 people in this valley of terror. Looking north, I saw what appeared to be people waving flashlights. After a couple of minutes, to my horror, I realized the lights I saw were actually the headlights of cars that were under water. As the cement barriers gave way, it reminded me of a fully-loaded water cannon from a fire truck, only times three. Three hours had passed. The rain had not eased. I thought to myself, “This is it, there’s no getting out now.” I began to plead with the drivers behind me to please back up. I turned to look North. The van directly in front of me had vanished, swept away by the raging water. I knew I was next. If I have ever panicked in my life, I panicked then. A couple of minutes seemed like an eternity. The cars behind me began to creep back, just enough to allow me room to make a u-turn and pull out. One by one, the cars behind me followed what I had done. As I neared the top of the hill I thought, “This may not have been what they mean by a 'near death experience,' but that is what I will always call it.”
