Woman, two children escape submerged truck in Lake Marble Falls

FROM STAFF REPORTS

MARBLE FALLS — A woman and two young children safely escaped from a truck that submerged itself in Lake Marble Falls while the driver was attempting to load a boat onto a trailer, emergency crews reported.

A family, some of which are from the Bertram area, were attempting to leave the waterway at about 5:30 p.m. at the Lower Colorado River Authority boat ramp in Lakeside Park.

Crews on the scene say the female driver backed the trailer and F350 pickup truck down the ramp as the driver of a pontoon boat prepared to load it onto the trailer.

Witnesses say the driver put the truck in park on the ramp, which, at its outer-most point drops off several feet.

The pickup began sliding backward on the concrete, which was covered in a film of green moss.

As the pickup began to submerge in the water, the woman and two children inside the vehicle escaped without injuries, witnesses say.

A tow truck worker was able to place inflatable floating devices around the vehicle and pull it from the water.

Crews cleared the scene around midnight.

editor@thepicayune.com

The following is a list of tips for loading a boat onto a trailer:

• When it’s time to load the boat on the trailer, back the trailer into the same depth with the fender tops just above water, load the boat and secure the bow hook.

• If water current is making it difficult to load the boat, try backing the trailer into the water so the tail end of the trailer faces downstream a little for more control when getting onto the bunks.

• While the skipper is still in the boat, make sure the bow is snug to the trailer and stop and crank the bow strap tight.

• Also, always be sure the transom isn’t protruding past the end of the trailer bunks because the hull can develop a “hook” if it’s not fully supported.

• When the bow strap is tight, have the driver turn off the engine and trim the drive or outboard all the way up.

• Then, pull the boat out of the water and go back to the staging area.

Source: onlinetowingguide.com