McLennan County sheriff’s deputies change flat tire for woman during subfreezing temps

WACO, Texas (KWTX) - A Central Texas woman was brought to tears after two McLennan County Sheriff’s deputies stopped to help her change a flat tire on the side of the road in subfreezing temperatures.

Felicia Anderson, of Bellmead, Texas, said she was driving alone in her car over to a relative’s house on Monday night during a winter storm warning when she almost had a wreck on Steinbeck Bend Road and Lake Shore Drive in Waco.

“I had almost swerved and had an accident and then I came to realize I had a blowout,” Anderson said.

Felicia first called her husband to help. He arrived and the two began working on the Tahoe when two local deputies, Derrick Shaw and Josh Duran, pulled up on the scene.

Felicia first worried she was getting a ticket for where her Tahoe was parked. When she realized she wasn’t in trouble, she encouraged the officers to go on.

“I told them ‘no, it’s okay we got it,’” Felicia said.

But the deputies refused to leave. Instead, the pair of first responders climbed down onto the pavement and began to work in blistery conditions.

Felicia said with their help, the tire was changed quickly.

Felicia said she wanted the first responders to be recognized because they helped her during a very stressful time in her life.

“Not realizing that no matter what you’re going through in life, God always sends an angel to you when you least expect it, and not only did he send me one, but he sent me two,” she said through tears.

McLennan County Sheriff Parnell McNamara said he wasn’t surprised to hear of the deputies’ act.

“Our policy is to never pass a stranded motorist,” McNamara said.

“During those times, just to know that there is so much evil and so much going on in this world I just thought that Officer Duran and Mr. Shaw, sorry this is just emotional for me, went out of the way when it was cold and freezing and it was wet, and they assisted and took action and didn’t hesitate,” she said.

“It was just heartwarming.”

Copyright 2023 KWTX. All rights reserved.