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Swain Emergency responders rescued tubers stranded on Deep Creek on Aug. 11— the rescue involved several small children who fell from their tubes on the upper part of the creek.
Hannah Styles
hstyles@thesmokymountaintimes.com
The year 2022 was newsworthy for Swain County including wildfires, high speed car chases, and even an emergency plane landing. Walk with us back in time as we jog your memory of these scary and noteworthy moments from the past year.
The New Year started off with an intense altercation between a police officer and a criminal. Bryson City Police Officer Jonathan Cloer began receiving calls of a reckless driver near the Galbraith Creek community coming toward Deep Creek, so he turned down Old River Road for a shortcut only to meet the driver head on. He stopped his car in the middle of the road and turned on his blue lights. The driver stopped the car, then floored the gas, ramming head on into Officer Cloer in his patrol car. The suspect then tried to flee on foot but was apprehended. Thankfully no one was harmed in this crazy encounter.
Fast forward to March, when devastating wildland fires struck Swain County. Downed power lines by fallen trees and high winds sparked wildfires that quickly tore through the eastern part of the county. About four hard fought days later, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park reported that the 960-acre Thomas Divide Complex Fire was 60% contained and the Unified Command Center continued to coordinate suppression efforts with about 70 personnel participating with ground, air, and engine crews. Swain County fire fighters, as well as the NC Forest Service, GSMNP, EBCI, and surrounding agencies helped extinguish the fires. That same week, there were other smaller fires caused by downed power lines as well. The Thomas Divide Complex Fire was 100% contained by April 1.
Another wild weather story this year was an EF-1 tornado that cut through the Deep Creek community, the first one since an EF-0 was confirmed in Swain County in 2012. This past May the National Weather Service confirmed a tornado touched down in West Deep Creek lasting only three minutes. The storm was about 50 yards wide, had a 0.4 mile-long path with winds of 95 miles per hour. There were thankfully no injuries, but the storm did damage several homes and knock over 3,000 customers out of power.
The first of July brought celebrations, cookouts and fireworks but it also brought a nerve-racking encounter for a pilot visiting the area as well as those driving on US Highway 74 near Sandlin Bridge. A small, single engine aircraft made a heroic, emergency landing onto the highway after its engine failed. According to former Swain Emergency Management Director David Breedlove, the pilot was flying around Lake Fontana enjoying the views when the engine failed and he began looking for a place to land. The pilot landed on the highway and coasted down the road before Sandlin Bridge, meeting oncoming traffic. Thankfully vehicles were able to move out of the plane's way and no one was injured in the hair-raising mayday.
A tragic event this year that broke the hearts of many Swain Countians was the death of beloved educator Lambert Wilson. Back in October, Wilson was shot and killed while working at his establishment, the El Camino Motel in Cherokee. Lambert was a resident of Whittier, spent over 30 years in the Swain County School System as a teacher and principal, served on the Swain County Board of Education, and was currently serving as a chairman of the Southwestern Community College board of trustees. He was also a member of the Swain County Schools Foundation, Swain County Performing Arts Center and taught Sunday school at Midway Baptist Church. He is greatly missed by Swain and surrounding communities that he impacted.
In November, a dramatic event ensued in front of West Elementary school when an impaired driver drove back and forth on Highway 74 near the school, before Swain County Sheriff Officer and School Resource Officer, P.D. Hampton saved the day. Officer Hampton was on his way to work when he got the reckless driving call, when he met the driver coming toward him in the wrong lane, so he did what he felt he had to do to protect the school. Hampton attempted to block the driver and was hit head on in his patrol car. After the driver attempted to flee the scene other officers arrived and helped apprehend him. Thankfully there were no injuries and school went on to operate as normal that day.