ZAVALA COUNTY, Texas – A man was arrested after driving around safety barricades to access the Nueces River, triggering a search and rescue response involving multiple emergency agencies in Zavala County.
The incident happened Thursday afternoon at the Uvalde Crossing Bridge along U.S. Highway 83, where emergency crews responded after receiving reports of a person who had entered the river despite the road closures and warning barriers.
Rescue crews deployed a boat downstream while deputies used a drone to search from the air. The aerial search located the man as he climbed out of the river onto the riverbank, where deputies safely took him into custody without further incident.
Investigators identified the man as 35-year-old Michael Robert Rann. According to the sheriff’s office, Rann admitted he drove past clearly marked barricades to reach the river.
He was arrested on a charge of disobeying warning signs or barricades over roads, a Class B misdemeanor.
During a search following his arrest, deputies said they found a .22-caliber handgun inside Rann’s backpack. He was booked into the Zavala County Jail.
Officials used the incident to remind the public that barricades and road closure signs are put in place to protect both the public and emergency responders, especially during dangerous river conditions. They urged people not to drive around barriers or enter closed areas, warning that doing so can put lives at risk and violate Texas law.