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

"This couple were wonderful people who donated their time to serve their community," said Wright County Clerk Loni Pedersen

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's press 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.

Three individuals from two vehicles escaped the floodwaters by swimming to shore. Riding in the third vehicle was the elderly couple, a 70-year-old man and a 73-year-old woman from Manes, Miss., who were found deceased at approximately 8:45 a.m.

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In a separate statement, the Wright County Sheriff's Office said the pair were "recovered quickly" from the area using the Wright County drone piloted by one of its sheriffs.

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.

In a statement obtained by local news outlets KOLR and KYTV, Wright County Clerk Loni Pedersen said that the elderly couple's names would not be released "out of respect and privacy to the family."

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"As reported by the Wright County Sheriff this loss of life occurred as a result of swift, high water from the storms that came through the area the night before. This is a tragic loss for Wright County," the statement continued.

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

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“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.