Flash Flooding Traps Truck, Car, Snarls Traffic in Stevenson, Pikesville

Flash flooding on Wednesday caused a number of swift-water rescues, closed busy roads and jammed traffic at least until the evening rush hour as low-lying parts of Pikesville and Stevenson were under water.

By 4 p.m., nearly six inches of rain had fallen in Pikesville causing flash-flooding, especially in the Stevenson and Garrison areas, as well as at Mt. Wilson Lane in Pikesville.

In Stevenson, firefighters from the Garrison Station assisted with two swift-water rescues, one at Stevenson Road and Greenspring Valley Road, and the other at Greenspring Valley and Old Valley roads.

At Stevenson Road, firefighters rescued two county highway department workers after their dump truck stalled in rushing water, according to Tom Garrish, crew chief for the county Bureau of Highways.

Details of the rescue that occurred at Greenspring Valley and Old Valley roads were unknown, but there are no reported deaths or injuries involving any water rescues, according to Elise Armacost, a spokeswoman for the county police and fire departments.

And later this evening, at about 5:30 p.m., an elderly woman was rescued from her car after floodwaters overtook a portion of Mt. Wilson Lane, just west of the railroad tracks.

An officer at the scene said police "just walked her out of the vehicle."

Armacost urged residents to avoid driving through flooded roadways.

"Nearly all the water rescues have been the result of vehicles trapped in water," Armacost said.

Thoroughfares affected by the flooding in Pikesville included Reisterstown Road, Old Court Road, Slade Road, Smith Avenue and Park Heights Avenue.

The county workers who were rescued from their disabled dump truck had been placing barrels at that flooded area and were going to turn onto Greenspring Valley Road and head to the intersection of Old Valley Road to help rescue some other people trapped by water, according to Garrish.

"Our guys went around to try to save these other guys ... (who) were trapped atop a chipper chute," he said.

Alexander Pee of Baltimore, one of the rescued county workers, waited in the back of the truck while his co-worker had climbed a telephone pole. 

"I was thinking the water was low enough (to cross)," Pee said. "The truck got wet underneath, then the water just rolls up so fast. ... I mean, this is a frightening feeling when you see all this water rushing around."

But, he said, he was glad to be alive.

Among closed roads were parts of Park Heights Avenue and Old Court Road, due to flash-flooding on Old Court, according to a tweet by Maryland State Police.

As of 6:30 p.m. those roads were open again.

Also on Wednesday afternoon, Reisterstown Road was flooded at McDonogh Lane, including in front of McDonogh High School, said Garrish. And there was flooding near the BMW dealership in Garrison, where Reisterstown Road "is covered," Garish said at about 3:20 p.m.

Flooding was severe in Stevenson. Not only was Stevenson Road shut down by about two feet or more of rushing water, but several cow pastures were flooded, dumping water across Stevenson Road, which passes over what is usually a tiny, tree-lined stream.

The water came from several directions, said David Witt of Baltimore, an architect with Ratcliffe Architects, headquartered on a small hill nearby.

"It rushed down Stevenson Road, (toward Greenspring Valley Road)," Witt said. He said he had see the pasture fill up before but not as much as on Wednesday.

Reporter Bryan P. Sears contributed to this article.