What started as Mark Eberhart's routine check on his marina Wednesday turned into quick-thinking and a frantic rescue.

ST. CHARLES COUNTY, Mo. — As roads close due to flooding, people are desperate to check on their property -- to the point that some are putting their lives at risk.

Highways in St. Charles County have been flooded for weeks, but Mark Eberhart refuses to let water get between him and his marina on the Mississippi River.

“I think everyone tries to check on their stuff every day,” Eberhart said.

But what started as his routine check on Wednesday turned into quick-thinking and a frantic rescue.

Mark and other people in the area saw a stalled truck almost completely submerged on Highway V north of Orchard Farm. Their attention was quickly diverted when they spotted the truck's owner about 100 yards away, trying to walk down the street.

“He didn’t realize he was in that much trouble," Eberhart said. He was going in about four feet deep of water -- it was up to his neck."

Eberhart said the man was determined to check on his tool shed, about a mile down the road. They were able to convince him to abandon the impossible mission.

“He would have been dead if he kept walking that way,” he said. “Nothing’s worth driving in water and risking your life.”

The man was rescued and taken to the hospital. He was in stable condition.

To many people, a drive through moving water is risky and unreasonable. But folks like Scott and Sheila Mitchell said a flooded house is about much more than losing their stuff.

“Losing our home,” said Sheila. “Losing our home. Our grandbaby loves it out there. We love our neighbors.”

A car can be moved by just 30 centimeters of water. Rescues have happened on a regular basis since flooding began.

“It’s not like swimming. You’re trying to keep your feet on the ground,” said Eberhart. “These rescues are going on here all day long. There’s something going wrong everywhere within a 30 square mile of the area.”