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Cochise County sheriff warns of flood risk, road hazards after recent storms and crashes
Summary
Sheriff Mark Daniels told KWCD listeners the ground is saturated and forecast heavy rain could create dangerous roads; he cited recent incidents including a school-bus sinkhole, a five-car pileup linked to impairment and a gasoline tanker rollover near Benson.
Sheriff Mark Daniels warned Friday that heavy rain forecasts and saturated ground are creating dangerous driving conditions across Cochise County and urged residents not to drive through flooded roads.
“Turn around, don’t drown,” Daniels said, repeating the county’s public-safety message and adding that saturated soils and additional rain forecasts increase the risk of road failures and washouts.
The warning followed several recent incidents Daniels described on the KWCD program. He said a full-size school bus dropped into a sinkhole on a rural county road; no students were injured, and the sheriff added, “I’m just glad no kids were hurt.” He also described a five-car pileup in which deputies determined alcohol was a contributing factor, and reiterated a general caution against driving while impaired.
Daniels said a separate crash near Benson involved a commercial fuel tanker that rolled and leaked gasoline. He said responders suspected the tanker carried about 7,500 gallons and that a Phoenix hazmat team responded to contain the spill. “Kudos to Benson PD,” he said of the local response.
In addition to those scenes, Daniels cited ongoing localized hazards such as farm-area sinkholes and places where high washes can overtop roads. He asked residents to use local knowledge of washes and neighborhoods when deciding whether a road is safe.
Daniels also tied the safety message to seasonal events and heavier weekend travel, asking motorists to slow down near popular fall attractions such as Apple Annie’s Corn Maze and county fair traffic. He emphasized repeated public-safety themes: avoid flooded roads, don’t drink and drive and slow down in high-traffic event areas.
The sheriff encouraged residents with specific concerns to contact the sheriff’s office for more information about particular roads or incidents.
Less critical details: Daniels also mentioned local community events and fairs happening countywide; those listings were given as context for increased travel and public-safety staffing needs.
