PAX, W.Va. — A woman is dead in Fayette County after her vehicle was swept away by rapidly rising floodwaters in the Pax area on Sunday, August 16, 2026.
According to the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department, the driver made a wrong turn into an area where water was quickly rising. The vehicle was overtaken by the current and carried downstream. A falling tree branch shattered the vehicle’s glass as it was swept away, allowing the driver to climb out before she was washed away by the floodwaters.
Multiple agencies responded, including the Pax Volunteer Fire Department, Fayette County Swift Water Rescue, Oak Hill Volunteer Fire Department, Fayetteville Volunteer Fire Department, and the Fayette County Sheriff’s Department. Crews conducted extensive search and rescue operations but were forced to halt overnight due to dangerous weather conditions.
Search efforts resumed Monday morning, and the woman was located by the Sheriff’s Department Drone Unit.
Sheriff Jess McMullen offered condolences to the victim’s family, calling the incident “a tragic reminder of how quickly flood waters can become deadly,” and urged drivers never to attempt crossing flooded roadways.
