HUNT, TEXAS — Kerrville Police Sergeant Tyler Cottonware assumed emergency command and rescued civilians during a flash flood in Hunt, Texas, on July 4, 2025. Cottonware was the sole first responder present in Hunt at the onset of the flood.

Cottonware woke at approximately 3:45 a.m. on the day of the flood. "I woke up at about 3:45," Cottonware said. He reported that power went out in his house and that he had no running water. His driveway had also washed out.

Cottonware observed floodwater covering Highway 39 where it intersects with Road 1340. "As soon as I turned onto 1340 from School Road, my headlights hit a body of water that was covering Highway 39," he said. He noted the absence of other emergency personnel, adding, "There was nobody out here. It was me."

During his response, Cottonware observed a female and her mother on the roof of the Hunt Store. He also saw a boy clinging to a utility pole. Cottonware entered the floodwaters, which reached his waist, before retreating due to debris. He subsequently removed the boy from the utility pole and rescued the female and her mother from the roof of the Hunt Store. Additionally, Cottonware observed an estimated 15 to 20 people on the roof of a residence.

The Hunt United Methodist Church served as an emergency medical triage center during the flood. An emergency room physician arrived and assisted with medical treatment at the church. Cottonware estimates that upwards of 200 people passed through the triage area. "This was a mass casualty event," Cottonware said. Cottonware's son, Rylan, attended school with the female rescued from the Hunt Store roof.