Austin police release body cam footage of dramatic high-water rescue

SAN ANTONIO (KTSA News) – Austin police have released dramatic video from body camera footage showing the rescue of three women and a dog trapped in floodwaters.  The rescue took place last Friday, May 3, when a car stalled in high water on Old Bee Caves Road.

Officer Matthew Valli put on a life jacket and tied a rope around himself and went into the raging waters as fellow officers held on to him.

One by one, Valli pulled the young women out of a car window and led them to safety.  The second one lost her footing and fell, but he managed to pull her out of danger.

The third rescue was the most difficult.  The woman was holding on to a large dog when they were pulled out of the car window.  They fell a few times and she couldn’t hold on to the pooch.  She’s heard screaming as she tries to hold on to the dog.   Once the woman was rescued, she was able to coax her terrified four-legged friend to come to higher ground.

Here’s the footage from the Austin Police Department’s Facebook Page.