HARFORD COUNTY, MD — Harford County Executive Barry Glassman has declared a state of emergency in Harford County Saturday, as crews are working to repair roads and bridges damaged by the deadly flash flood that roared through the area Friday night. The body of one person swept up in the flood has been recovered, according to police.
The search for a second victim will resume Sunday morning, according to Maryland State Police, which reported it suspended the effort around 8 p.m. Saturday.
Daniel Samis, 67, of Abingdon, was found deceased on Saturday morning, officials reported. He had been in a vehicle that got carried by the flood waters, according to investigators.
Samis was one of two people washed away in the flash flood around 6 p.m. Friday in the Creswell area, police said.
The other was a woman trying to help Samis when she saw his vehicle submerged up to its roof on a bridge along Calvary Road at James Run Road, officials reported.
Police said that Samis was located deceased around 8:30 a.m. Saturday a quarter of a mile away from the Broad Run Bridge. On Friday night crews located the sedan but were unable to access it because of high water, officials reported; technical rescue teams assisted in the recovery of the man’s body Saturday morning.
Initially, authorities said there were two people in the sedan, but interviews with witnesses and Samis’s next of kin later led authorities to believe he was alone in the vehicle.
Based on witness accounts, police said that the vehicle on the Broad Run Bridge had become submerged up to the roof when a truck pulled up with a man and woman who tried to assist with a rope.
“At some point, the woman trying to assist fell and the man with her helped her up only for her to fall again before being swept over the bridge and into the rushing water of Broad Run,” police said in a statement.
The driver of the truck went to a nearby quarry to search for the victim and call 911, and while he was on the phone he saw the disabled vehicle go over the side of the bridge and be swept down Broad Run, police reported.
Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan said Saturday morning that he and First Lady Yumi Hogan were praying for the people who were missing, and the state “continues to offer any support necessary” to Harford County.
Maryland State Police said that the following agencies were assisting in the search efforts: Harford County Department of Emergency Services; Maryland State Police dive team, criminal enforcement division and K9 unit; Maryland Natural Resources Police; Baltimore County Police Department; Baltimore Police Department; Bay Area Rescue K9; Chesapeake Search and Rescue; and Mid-Atlantic D.O.G.S. Search and Rescue.
A 5-mile stretch of MD 136/Calvary Road remains closed Saturday, from MD 543 to MD 22.
Flash flooding closed several roads Friday night around the county, some of which remained closed due to high water on Saturday, including Calvary Road.
Officials warn that flash floods can come without warning when there is excessive rainfall.
“Following the simple advice of ‘Turn Around, Don’t Drown,’ could save lives during flash flooding conditions,” Maryland State Police advised.
Approximately 6.24 inches of rain had been reported in Scarboro by Saturday morning, according to unofficial data provided to the National Weather Service.
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Still picture of high water on MD 543 from WJZ/YouTube.