CAPITAN, N.M. (KRQE) – A boy is recovering after being swept away in a washout from his fathers’ truck due to the heavy rain in Lincoln County. It happened Sunday night around when the sheriff’s office received the call. A local farm, his wife and 6-year-old son had been traveling along Pine Lodge Road north of Capitan when they tried to cross the flooded road and became stranded.

“The report we got was that a small boy had washed away with this vehicle. That’s what prompted our response. We started to get resources put together, start to make a search,” said Lincoln County Sheriff Michael Wood.

The sheriff says things quickly changed for the three as they tried to get to safety.

“The vehicle stalled out so dad gets out places the little boy in the bed of the truck so he can help mom get out, she’s nearly swept away he turns his attention to her briefly, when he does, next thing you know the vehicle and the small boy had been washed down the arroyo,” Wood said.

The sheriff’s office, county fire and rescue and even Chaves County Rescue rushed to the scene to help the family. The boy was found along the arroyo bank. He was taken to a local hospital as a precaution.

“He had some bruising and some scratching you know maybe a little water ingestion some hypothermia, so he was transported to the hospital just to be just as a precautionary measure,” Wood said.

The sheriff’s office says they are thankful everything turned out well but have a strong message for all the residents of Lincoln County.

“Keep your head on a swivel and if you can’t see the road below the water level, don’t do it even if you can don’t try to cross. So again, I’ll say the words turn around, do not drown, turn around,” said Wood.

The storms Sunday night in Lincoln County dropped at least an inch and a half of rain.