PORTLAND, Tenn. (WKRN) — Portland officers took action early Sunday morning, saving a motorist from a partially submerged vehicle, but that motorist ended up in custody.
The Portland Police Department said officers responded to a call for service around 4 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 16 involving a person trapped on top of their vehicle by rising floodwaters.
“With no time to wait for a specialized fast-water rescue team, our officers risked their lives and made the split-second decision to take action themselves,” authorities said. “Without hesitation, they initiated a rescue response and successfully brought the citizen to safety.”
Law enforcement posted on Facebook shortly after 12:30 p.m. that they had received several calls about the vehicle that was left at the scene, but they assured the community everyone was safe and that the empty vehicle would stay there until conditions improved enough for a safe recovery.
“Thanks to the bravery and quick thinking of our guardians in the night, a life was saved,” the police department added.
However, the story didn’t end there.
Shortly after 5:45 p.m., officials announced that, after further investigation, they determined the person involved in the early morning incident was impaired at the time. As a result, that individual was arrested for driving under the influence.
No additional details have been released about this incident, including the identity of the person who was taken into custody.
