By ELLIS GOODWIN
Staff Writer
VERDEN – For the third time in a little more than a week, salvage crews met in Verden to try to raise a vehicle that crashed into a pond on Christmas Eve.
The crew – consisting of divers, crane operators and a bevy of bystanders – tried to locate the vehicle last Wednesday but could not find it. Crew members searched again on Thursday and located it, but waited until Monday to lift it.
For the vehicle owner, Kevin Chaney, it was an emotional moment Monday when the workers pulled the car from the pond. Johnson's Wrecker of Chickasha pulled the car from the pond.
Chaney and his wife, Teresa Stockard, were in the vehicle when it careened off closed bridge, down an embankment and into the murky water. They had been traveling north on County Line Road when they experienced white out conditions that made it too difficult to drive.
About one mile north of Verden, they turned around their vehicle, but they could not see warning signs as they approached a collapsed bridge.
Chaney said he saw the railing at the last minute and tried to stop, but it was too late. Their car slid up the guardrail and catapulted towards the water.
The 2007 Ford Fusion rolled onto its top and began to sink. Chaney was able to free himself and Stockard, who is handicapped, but was unable to free their four-year-old Border Collie.
"I hope it just gives us some closure," he said. "I just want to get my dog, our dog, out of there. It's been eating us up."
As crews began tying cables and preparing to lift the sunken vehicle Chaney kept his wife close by, they did not know what to expect, but prayed for the best.
To Chaney's and Stockard's surprise their dog was not in the vehicle when it emerged from the muck.
Chaney said he hopes Princess, the dog, is surviving on her own.
Jimmy Johnson, owner of Johnson's Wrecker, said he wanted to get the car out for two reasons: so that he, Chaney and Stockard can get some sleep and because it is unsafe environmentally.
On Monday, it took divers less than 10 minutes to find the vehicle. Johnson marked the spot he believed the car sunk with a floating jug tied to a magnet that stuck to the vehicle.
Once hooked to the crane, the car surfaced quickly.
"Thank goodness for the diver," Johnson said. "Once we got tied on the crane just hauled it right out."
Local News
Related Photos
-
Divers and salvage workers lift a 2007 Ford Fusion from a pond near Verden. The vehicle had been submerged since Christmas Eve, when it’s owner, Kevin Chaney, drove it off of a collapsed bridge during white-out conditions.
Submerged vehicle lifted
- Local News
-
-
BC basketball homecoming queen crowned
Breaden Jantzern was crowned 2012 Homecoming Queen during Bridge Creek's basketball homecoming coronation last week.
-
City to earn green for going green
The City of Tuttle will receive a check for $2,661.85 from Public Service Company of Oklahoma (PSO) as an incentive for retrofitting several City facilities with high-efficiency lighting.
-
A Royal Evening
Mariah Hickman was crowned wrestling homecoming queen last week by king Sterling Hawkins.
-
Groundbreaking held for new city hall
On Tuesday evening, local current and former elected officials, city workers and others taking part in the construction of the city's planned $3 million new city hall and storm shelter met to ceremoniously break ground on the project.
-
Local residents affected by Tuesday power outage
Local residents with electric service from PSO were without power for over an hour on Tuesday afternoon. The outage affected much of downtown Tuttle, and many on the north side of Hwy. 37.
-
Students get close-up view of legislature
While you might not realize it, high school students often play an integral part at the state capitol.
-
Williams asks Council for tax break
Jeff Williams, owner of William’s Discount Grocery, addressed the Tuttle City Council on Monday about offering incentives to build a new store.
Williams discussed options like a one-cent sales tax over the life of the note which he said would cost the city “zero dollars.” -
Area towns REAP benefits
State Senator Ron Justice and Representative Leslie Osborn presented several ASCOG REAP grants during Monday’s county commissioners meeting.
Mayors and other representatives from the towns of Alex, Amber and Verden were on hand to accept the grants. - Helpful hints to prevent the “Silent Disease” CHICKASHA, Okla. –Osteoporosis is a disease where over time the bones become porous, thin and easily break. Bones that tend to break easily are those in your spine, hips and wrists.
- POLICE REPORTS
- More Local News Headlines
-
