Missouri Couple Die in Flash Floods on Their Way to Work Election Day Polls

Mar. 15, 2025

Flooding in Missouri’s Wright County.Photo:Missouri State Highway Patrol/X

Missouri State Highway Patrol/X

An elderly couple in Missouri died on their way to work the polls together on Election Day.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol responded to reports of three vehicles being carried off the roadway on State Route H near Beaver Creek in Wright County at approximately 4:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 5.

According to the highway patrol’spress release, the organization deployed its marine officers to the scene and received assistance from agents from the Missouri Department of Conservation and the Wight County Sheriff’s Office to begin rescue operations.

Flooding in Missouri’s Wright County.Missouri State Highway Patrol/X

The sheriff’s department added that the area experienced “extreme flooding in low-water areas and bridges” throughout the “evening hours of November 4th and early morning hours of November 5th.““There were several vehicle slide offs due to hydroplaning and simply because places flooded that generally don’t flood! Wright County had six swift water incidents that resulted in two fatalities,” the statement added.

Pedersen remembered the couple as “dedicated citizens who valued fair and honest elections” and “will be missed.”

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

“This is a terrible loss for Wright County. This couple were wonderful people who donated their time to serve their community. We will miss them dearly and the service they provided to my office,” she added.

source: people.com