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No injuries reported when two vehicles drive into flood waters following heavy Friday night rains

By Bruce Kropp Dec 19, 2021 | 8:27 AM

The Marion County Sheriff’s Department was called to assist two drivers who drove into deep water across the road following more than two and a half inches of rain that fell across Marion County Friday and early Saturday morning.

Salem Fire Protection District officials were called to assist 47-year-old Billy Raudenbush of Salem Road in Mt. Vernon in getting out of his vehicle after it drove into deep water across the South College Street Extension south of Post Oak Road at 1:28 Saturday afternoon.  Firemen put on safety gear and walked into the water and were able to walk Raudenbush to dry pavement.    He was checked by United Medical Response on the scene and did not require hospital treatment.    Firemen estimate water was four feet deep at the point Raudenbush was rescued.

The sheriff’s department was called to a flooded section of Brewery Hill Road below the Raccoon Lake Dam at 8:12 Saturday night.  The male driver, who is not identified in reports, was taken home by deputies after he was able to walk out of the water.

At last report, the South College Street Extension, South Hotze, South Hoots Chapel, and Westline Road in the Crooked Creek bottoms all remain impassable due to floodwaters.

Centralia Water Plant officials say the one open gate of Raccoon Lake was completely closed Sunday morning and water levels below the dam should be dropping.   The Brewery Hill Road could reopen later in the day on Sunday.    Raccoon Lake was nearly full Saturday morning before one gate was opened seven and a half feet to get rid of excess water.   The water level had dropped to 5.9 inches below the spillway on Sunday morning.