In the wake of the torrential thunderstorm on Friday night, Aug. 13, there are reports of several vehicles being washed off El Pueblo Blvd. into Ashbrook Wash, with at least one man finding he was swept about a quarter mile from the street crossing.

Anthony Scimeca, of Fountain Hills, called The Times to report his harrowing experience.

The water rose quickly as nearly two inches of rain fell in just over a half hour Friday night. Scimeca said he did not realize how much water was flowing when he approached the wash in the dark.

“It took me down the wash like a rubber ball,” he said. “I was hitting all kinds of debris.”

Scimeca’s car was stopped by a tree about a quarter mile east of El Pueblo Blvd., just before he would have crossed onto the Fort McDowell Yavapai Nation.

He said a tree branch came through the windshield of his car and he was trapped for about three hours. He was yelling and using a flashlight to try and get someone’s attention.

Scimeca said he was walked out of the wash to safety by three men. His car was still there Monday morning.

According to Maricopa County Sheriff’s Office, the responded to the report of someone trapped in the wash at about 12:30 a.m. Saturday, and he was removed from the wash without incident.

Also, MCSO reported that throughout the weekend they received reports of numerous traffic hazards including rocks and debris, trees and traffic signs. 

Monsoon madness

While last summer there was very little rain that came with the monsoon, this year has been quite different. The “nonsoon” of 2020 has made way for monsoon madness in 2021. In the roughly 60 days since the beginning of the rainy season, rainfall totals for Fountain Hills are approaching 10 inches.

As of Monday morning, Aug. 16, the Maricopa County Flood Control District monitoring site at Hesperus Dam above Richwood Avenue off Teepee Drive, had received 9.72 inches. The next highest total is 8.98 inches at the Cloudburst Wash station just above the Adero Canyon Trailhead.

The rain gauges on Golden Eagle Blvd., North Heights Dam, SunRidge Dam and a McDowell Mountain Park have all received in excess of eight inches. Near downtown at Fountain Hills Fire Station #1 there has been 7.17 inches of rain in the past 60 days. The Town of Fountain Hills reports 8.76 inches at Fountain Park since mid-June, with 4.88 inches in just the past week.

On Asher Hills near the Verde Communities 10.31 inches has fallen at the county ALERT site.