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The Law&Crime Network released footage of Deputy William Hollingsworth from Escambia, Florida on Sunday, June 18, 2023. The video showed Hollingsworth being sucked into a storm drain on Friday, June 16, 2023. The deputy was seen trying to rescue a man from the floodwaters during a storm in Escambia County. Both William Hollingsworth and the man he rescued survived the incident.
As soon as knowledge about the incident was revealed to the public, William Hollingsworth was praised by his superiors for his courage and calm under pressure. They lauded him for prioritizing the other man's life over his own despite being sucked into the drainage pipe himself. The video showed Hollingsworth holding onto the man and not letting go as he tried to rescue him. Authorities did not report any major injuries in the incident.
The heroic act of Deputy William Hollingsworth
In the harrowing footage of the incident, William Hollingsworth's bodycam recorded the moments before the near drowning as he approached the scene. Hollingsworth could be seen disembarking from his police vehicle under heavy rains before his camera went black as he was sucked into the storm drain.
The Escambia County Sheriff's Office stated that Hollingsworth is one of the deputies tasked with helping motorists in the current extreme weather conditions.
The statement read that over the last few days, the county has seen severe weather along with "torrential downpours" that peeked in the early morning hours of June 16. It added that it was during this time that Escambia County Deputy William Hollingsworth was on patrol and helped motorists who were "caught in rapidly rising waters."
According to the new channel, Wesh, Hollingsworth was sucked under the water's surface as he tried to rescue the man. The two men were sucked through the drainage pipe for nearly 30 seconds before they re-emerged on the other side of the Interstate.
As they surfaced, both William Hollingsworth and the man could be heard discussing how grateful they were to have survived the incident. Hollingsworth can be heard asking the man if he believed what just happened to them and then thanking Jesus for saving them.
The other man thanked the deputy and said that when he came out the latter was "right there." He added:
“Me and you man. That was an experience of my life.”
In a Facebook post celebrating Hollingsworth's rescue of the civilian, Escambia County Sheriff Chip Simmons commended the deputy's heroic efforts. The Sheriff's Office presented it as a prime example of the conduct expected from law enforcement officers.
Florida is among several states experiencing heavy rains and storms. As per USA Today, the conditions have led to at least 5 deaths across Texas, Louisiana, and Mississippi. An unnamed man died due to floods in Florida on June 15, 2023. Rescue teams are operating across all States that have been affected.
