Man rescued, then arrested for ignoring high-water warnings

A Texarkana man ignored a “high water” barricade about 10:30 a.m. Saturday and got his Nissan sedan stuck partway across a bridge over the Trinity River. State troopers, Walker County sheriff’s deputies and Riverside Fire Rescue saved Jose Guzman-Magana, 58, and two passengers. The driver was charged for going around the barricade and endangering a child. less A Texarkana man ignored a “high water” barricade about 10:30 a.m. Saturday and got his Nissan sedan stuck partway across a bridge over the Trinity River. State troopers, Walker County sheriff’s deputies ... more Photo: Scott Engle / Montgomery County Police Reporter Photo: Scott Engle / Montgomery County Police Reporter Image 1 of / 15 Caption Close Man rescued, then arrested for ignoring high-water warnings 1 / 15 Back to Gallery

Crews rescued two men and a teenager caught in high water near Trinity River in Walker County Saturday morning.

The driver, Jose Guzman-Magana of Texarkana, was arrested and booked into the Walker County Jail Saturday, according to the Montgomery County Police Reporter. He was charged with disregarding water on roadway sign and child endangerment. Guzman-Magana will celebrate his 59th birthday Sunday.

State troopers responded to a call at 10:30 a.m. from Guzman-Magana, who was driving to visit his son in the Estelle Prison Unit in Riverside. Guzman-Magana told Walker County 911 operators that he went around high-water barricades placed on the roadway when his Nissan got stuck on a bridge over the Trinity River.

The car died in the high water, but he and his two passengers – his 27-year-old son and a 14-year-old boy – couldn't exit the vehicle because of the swift current, authorities said.

Footage from the scene shows his silver sedan stuck in several inches of muddy brown water spilling over the bridge from the river onto North FM-3478.

When crews arrived, they determined the current was too strong to enter by boat, so they decided to use a high-rescue vehicle. Riverside firefighters safely rescued Guzman-Magana and his passengers.

A DPS trooper who worked the case said it is a Class C misdemeanor to drive around a barricade in Texas. However, driving around a "water on the roadway" sign is a Class B misdemeanor with a penalty of up to 180 days in jail and up to a $2,000 find, he said in a release.

Guzman-Magana was also slapped with a child endangerment charge because of the 14-year old in the car. Troopers drove the teenager and the 27-year-old to an Estelle unit 2 miles down the road, where a family member would pick them up.