When the Paluxy River near Glen Rose is rising, it is one of the swiftest in Texas.
And Wednesday, the Paluxy's treacherous waters proved deadly. State game warden Teyran "Ty" Patterson died after his boat capsized while searching for a 16-year-old Stephenville girl who has been missing since Tuesday.
The game warden's death is the latest from a weeklong deluge that also brought power outages and flash flooding to North Texas on Wednesday, including isolated reports of hail across Dallas and Collin counties.
Patterson, 28, and game warden Danny Tuggle, 58, were tossed into the Paluxy about 8:10 a.m. Wednesday. Tuggle, a game warden for more than 25 years, was rescued by Somervell County sheriff's deputies, volunteer firefighters and emergency medical personnel who were standing on the banks.
"It was the swift operation of those Somervell County officials that probably saved warden Tuggle's life," said Tom Harvey, a spokesman for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
The two game wardens were searching for Courtney Butler, who was reported missing about 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. She disappeared while swimming at a popular hangout, where Farm Road 205 crosses the river.
"She and a bunch of friends were swimming where the water is running across an old low-water crossing," Department of Public Safety Trooper Dub Gillum said. "The water runs across the cement roadway and makes a little waterfall. It was running pretty swiftly. Apparently, she became trapped in the current under that waterfall and couldn't get out."
Search teams spent the day combing the river for Butler's body
Texas Game Warden Teyran “Ty” Patterson, 28, died Wednesday during a search-and-rescue operation on the Paluxy River near Glen Rose, according to a press release from the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
Patterson was stationed in Johnson County after his 2005 graduation from the 51st Texas Game Warden Academy. He apparently drowned after his boat capsized in floodwaters, said Steve Lightfoot, Texas Parks and Wildlife Department spokesman.
Patterson and his partner, Game Warden Danny Tuggle, were searching for the body of a suspected 17-year-old drowning victim when the accident occurred, Lightfoot said. Apparently the 17-year-old, Courtney Butler, entered the river to rescue another teenager, whose identity and whereabouts are unknown.
The Butler’s whereabouts are also unknown.
