Tragedy in Texas

Three of six Flomaton residents caught in flood are still missing

Emergency teams were expected to resume their search for missing persons in Junction, Texas, Wednesday morning following a Monday flash flood that engulfed an RV park, with three of the missing people being Flomaton residents.

As of Wednesday morning, Mike McGee, 65, Charlotte Moye, 63, and Joseph Huss, 55, have not been located after floodwaters ravaged the RV park where they were staying.

Two other Flomaton residents, Todd Shultz and Darlene Huss, were rescued quickly after the waters flooded the camp ground. A third Flomaton resident Janet Shultz, 56, was rescued some 20 to 25 miles downstream of the RV park, where she was found clinging to a tree. She is currently in a Texas hospital.

Escambia County Sheriff's Office Chief Deputy Mike Lambert said he talked with Texas officials Tuesday night and was told the search would be delayed until mid-morning Wednesday due to the continuing rise of the Llano River.

"The water is apparently still rising, which makes it difficult to launch boats," Lambert said. "Searches are still being done by air."

Larry White said the news of the events in Junction, Texas, was devastating. Charlotte Moye worked as his full time secretary at Larry White Insurance Agency for about 30 years before retiring. Janet Shultz began working full time in 1992 for Larry White Associates in Pensacola. She had retired but was still working part time. White said she worked Friday before heading out to Texas.

"You don't work with people that long and not become good friends," White said. "They become family. It's like something happening in the family."

White said when Janet Shultz left work about 4 p.m. Friday she and Charlotte Moye had planned to drive to Junction to swap trucks with Janet's husband Todd Shultz. Todd was working in Texas and staying in the RV park.

White noted Janet and Charlotte were close friends and even cousins and Charlotte went along to keep her company.

When the group woke up about 5 a.m. Monday morning, flood waters from the river had already covered the RV park.

Lambert said Curtis Moye received a telephone call from his wife Charlotte about 5:30 a.m. telling him water was coming up and she didn't know if they would make it. That was the last time Curtis talked to his wife.

The floodwaters swept RVs and vehicles downstream.

Reports out of Texas say emergency personnel are searching for four known missing persons that include the three from Flomaton. However, they said they can't be sure there aren't other people missing since people did not have to register to stay at that particular campground.

Reports noted about 40 people were rescued from the campground and another 15 or so were rescued either by boat or helicopter.

Other reports from Texas said the area received about 12 inches of rain in a very short time frame that cause the river to jump more than 15 feet above flood stage.