All it took to destroy a Portsmouth family this week was a road full of water, a moment of bad judgment and car brakes that would not hold.

Wednesday, February 23, 2000

All it took to destroy a Portsmouth family this week was a road full of water, a moment of bad judgment and car brakes that would not hold.

Kimberly Riddle, 26, died when the car she was driving was caught by nearly 16 feet of rushing water and pulled into the junction of the Scioto and Ohio rivers.

While her three children, ages 8, 6 and 4, managed to escape from the car and were rescued, Mrs. Riddle died.

The tragic part of this story is not just that a young mother died. What all of us should remember is that a rather careless mistake cost three children their mother and could have ended in their tragic deaths as well.

Mrs. Riddle was in a hurry. She was trying to get to her parents’ house in Kentucky, according to law enforcement officers’ reports and televised interviews with the family.

She was in so much of a hurry that she pulled around road-closed signs and barricades warning drivers of the flooded roadway.

That error in judgment cost her a lifetime with her three beautiful children.

Tragic stories like these should make all of us think before we try to negotiate a flooded area. Making a judgment that "I can make it across" is stupid at best and dangerous at its worst.

There is no destination or trip that is worth risking your life or those of your loved ones. Signs and barricades are signals of potential danger, not just a way to slow down your commute. Ignoring them can be a tragic mistake that could cost you your life. No vehicle, no matter how new or spiffy, can truly negotiate a flooded area. The risk is just too great.

There is no question that Mrs. Riddle’s family would rather have waited a few extra minutes for her – or even a day if they had to – in exchange for having her not risk that trip through the water. Don’t make your loved ones feel that same pain.