Floodwaters Wash Away Bridge, Stranding Woman
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Updated: 7:04 PM Jul 23, 2010
Floodwaters Wash Away Bridge, Stranding Woman
For one woman, floodwaters have left her up a creek -- without a bridge. She's stranded with no way to get to work or pay the bills.
Posted: 6:49 PM Jul 23, 2010
Reporter: Carrie Cline
Email Address: carrie.cline@wsaz.com
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LAWRENCE COUNTY, Ohio (WSAZ) -- The flood fallout continues for folks in Lawrence County, including a woman who floodwaters have left up a creek -- without a bridge.

Alexandria Long is stranded with no way to get to work or pay the bills. As a result, she and her son, Austin, are building a bridge -- one rock at a time.

"It was about 2 a.m., and one minute the bridge was there and the next minute it was gone," Long said.

That was late Tuesday and early Wednesday when floodwaters rushed through in the dead of night, carrying the bridge nearly 200 feet down the road. Since then, they've been stranded -- car parked next to the house -- with no way out. There not even a way for Alexandria to get to work.

"I don't know if I'm going to live on the street and lose everything," Long said. "I’ve told my son, 'We may not be able to keep the house.' "

With no bridge and no car, the only way they have to get in and out is through the creek and up the bank.

"I don’t know how long it’s going to take a woman and a little boy to fill this in," Long said.

She is desperate to find a way out. She's a home health care worker with elderly clients who rely on her just as much as she relies on the job. But, even if this plan works, her neighbors won't let her drive across their yards, telling WSAZ.com that they're afraid she'll tear up the grass. Then there's the issue of who owns the bridge and is responsible for fixing it.

"The land the bridge is on is ours," Betty Joseph said.

But, Larry and Betty Joseph said they can't afford the $3,000 it's going to cost to replace it.

"The insurance company said we could go in together," the say. "But they can’t even do that, so he said we could leave the bridge the way it is."

That leaves Long, as the saying goes, between a rock and a hard place.

Long also has tried to borrow a car, but no one she knows has an extra car to loan her.

The bridge is private, so the city, county and state aren't responsible for helping.

Latest Comments

Posted by: Alex Long on Oct 29, 2010 at 09:26 AM

First of all I didn't lie I asked about crossing in two Different Places to be able to Drive across so I can go to work. I was Told the Septic was in Both Places wow must be a Gigantic tank you think. As for thanking someone I thanked the Person who was able to put 4 6x6 across in the same place I was asking to be able to Drive through, Where they said the Septic Tank was, What Happened to The Tank. As to not coming out to help or give water to the People who put temporary Bridge in for all the Families to cross, I did not want to put My Son through the mental anguish of hearing them Jump on me I did not call WSAZ,One of Clients I work for called WSAZ because they told me without my Help his Mother would not be able to get the care she needs. As far as me saying I didn't want to cross there I was Grateful just to get my car across I told them I only wanted to get my car out so I can go to work not to keep Driving across there Prize winning Lawn.CONTINUE
Posted by: OhioMom on Aug 8, 2010 at 05:06 AM

Finally after Missing three Days of work, A Nice Man brought his Flat Bed Tow Truck & Took Alec out and two other cars that was also stranded Due to the people who would not let them cross their land,What has this world come to when Christian people care more about there grass and Lawyers then do do what God would want them to do I have no respect got people like that who make real Christians look bad and it is no wonder people run away from anything to do with religion and God. They should be thinking more on what would God would think of them he would be ashamed to see the way they acted & could care less if a young Mother who trying to support her only child with Just her Income only. I am gald that their is still good people out in this world who helped Alex get her car out so she could get back to work.
Posted by: Amanda on Jul 29, 2010 at 09:23 PM

First off she wanted to drive over a septic tank, that's what she was told no about. Second the only thing said about grass was that the vehicles were not going to go back and forth through the yard and over the two 6X6's but had to stay across once they were there. Every one ( and by every one I mean the other 2 houses and the "bad neighbors") blocked in two 6x6 boards and drove the vehicles across. She wasn't even polite enough to come help or even try to drive her own vehicle across, she just threw the keys in the car when she was told to bring it down. There wasn't a single thank you said or even an I'm sorry for lying and embarrassing you on T.V. After all was said and done the 6x6's were beside the creek technically on her property b/c they were soaken wet and too heavy to move w/ out a truck ( which is on the other side of the creek) and she had the nerve to call and tell us to clean up the mess ( 2 6x6's) in her "yard" which by the way has 2ft tall grass in spots. so grateful!
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