UPDATED 2/7/19 2:49 p.m.
Schmitt’s brother, Bill Schmitt, told Z107.7 News that there were not any Road Closed signs across Yucca Mesa Road when they approached the wash.
UPDATED 2/7/19 1:30 p.m.
The coroner’s office has identified the man killed in flash flooding in Yucca Valley Saturday evening. Earl Schmitt Jr., 76, of Loxahatchee, Florida, was driving on Yucca Mesa Road about 5:20 p.m. as workers were putting up Road Closed signs at the wash just north of Barron Avenue due to flash flooding. Witnesses said Schmitt drove around the signs and his car got swept away in the waters. Two passengers in the car managed to get out. Schmitt’s brother, Bill Schmitt, told Z107.7 News that there were not any Road Closed signs across Yucca Mesa Road when they approached the wash.
The force of the water flipped the car over about 50 feet from the road, and Schmitt died in the car. Managing editor Tami Roleff offers this warning about trying to drive through flooded areas…
We’ve all heard “Turn around, don’t drown.” It’s easy to misjudge the depth of water, especially at night. And you can’t tell if the road is still there under the rushing water, as it might have washed out. In addition, six inches of water reaches the bottom of most cars, causing a loss of control and potential stalling. A foot of water will float many vehicles. And two feet of rushing water will sweep away most vehicles, including pick-ups and SUVs. Once your vehicle is floating, the floodwater becomes your steering wheel. If that water is moving, your vehicle could be swept away, tipped on its side, or flipped. Rising water can enter your vehicle in a manner of minutes, even seconds. So to be safe, turn around, don’t drown.
