Texas Officers Use Jumper Cables to Save Trapped Family

Quick thinking and a pair of jumper cables made all the difference when a Texas family found themselves stranded in dangerous floodwaters during a severe April storm.

Around 11:12 p.m. on April 25, Sergeant John Banner of the White Settlement Police Department spotted a vehicle stuck in rushing water, its front end wedged in a channel flowing toward a creek. Three small children stood outside near the rising water, and their mother clung to the driver's side door as the current surged around her.

Banner quickly moved the children into his patrol SUV to safety. But their mother remained trapped, unable to reach higher ground as the water rushed past with increasing force.

"Help me! Help me!" the woman cried out as officers raced against the rising tide. Body camera footage captured the tense moments as officers shouted instructions while standing in the fast-moving water themselves.

Officer Christopher Wiseman spotted the solution in his patrol vehicle. He grabbed a pair of jumper cables and ran back to the scene, announcing, "Well, this will have to work."

Officers instructed the woman to place the cables under her arms and around her chest, creating a makeshift harness. They held the other end, ready to pull her to safety if she lost her footing in the dangerous current.

As the woman's strength faded, officers radioed for the White Settlement Fire Department. Firefighters arrived and attached a line to the vehicle, slowly pulling it out of the rushing water and back onto the roadway.

The mother and her children were evaluated at the scene. None were injured.

Why This Inspires

This rescue shows how staying calm and thinking creatively can save lives in the most challenging moments. The mother had earlier directed her children to higher ground, a decision officials say likely prevented injuries before help arrived.

White Settlement Police Chief Christopher Cook praised the coordinated effort. "Law enforcement officers put the highest priority on the preservation of life, and this was evident based upon getting creative and using a pair of jumper cables to serve as an additional safety tool," he said.

The department now equips each patrol vehicle with water rescue throw bags to improve future emergency response. Officials also plan to reunite the family with the first responders who saved them that stormy night.

When danger strikes, heroes find a way.