June 4, 1997
Chevy pickup sinks like a rock
ROBERT MOHL
Herald News Editor
WELDON- It was a little before 6 p.m. and William Watson was putting his boat
into the river at the Weldon boat landing.
Skies were gray and it looked like Watson's plans for a little Wednesday
night fishing might be interrupted by rain. He had just tied his boat to the
shore when he noticed a more pressing problem.
His pickup truck was rolling into the water.
"Evidently the pin broke in the transmission and it went out of park," said
Watson, 54, of Roanoke Rapids.
"I jumped in the truck and tried to put it in park but she was already
floating at that time," Watson said. "I was sitting up to my waist in water and I
thought it was time to get out."
Watson escaped safely and watched his 1984 Chevrolet Silverado pickup truck
float down the river. It sank, disappearing from view, twenty yards from the
ramp.
"I was just going to get some rockfish," said Watson. An engineer in the
Merchant Marines for 29 years, it was his first aquatic mishap.
"I've never had any problems out on the water," he said.
His wallet went down with the truck, but Watson keeps a cellular phone in the
boat. He called his wife to bring some dry clothes and call police.
Units from the Highway Patrol, Halifax Sheriff's Office, Weldon Police,
Roanoke Valley Rescue Squad and state wildlife office were sent to the scene.
Divers were sent in at 8 p.m. Going in were Deputy Billy Eure and Sgt. Danny
Moody of the Halifax County Sheriff's Office. Backing them up was Rosalynn Moody,
Danny's wife, who team dives with her husband.
After a short search the three divers found the sunken pickup in eight feet
of water. Dragging chains from shore, they hooked the upright pickup to a
wrecker, which dragged it ashore.
"I didn't think I'd ever see it again," Watson said as the dark blue truck
emerged.
By 8:30 p.m. the truck and boat trailer were safely on dry land. Watson, who
doubts his insurance will cover the accident, plans to replace the fluids and
battery on the truck and hope for the best.
"I'd been looking for a new truck," he said. "I'd had this one tentatively
sold for $4,000. But now I guess I won't get that."
(
geocities.com/rjmohl)