Brazoria County chief deputy recounts scary moment he found out his daughter was in an accident

BRAZORIA COUNTY, Texas (KTRK) -- A typical workday for a deputy chief in Brazoria quickly turned into a nightmare after learning his daughter was in trouble.

"When the DPS officer came to the hospital and showed me those images, I was taken back again," Mike Fulton, Chief Deputy of Brazoria County Precinct 2, said.

Fulton was doing his usual routine before he heard a call.

"I had my radio on in the background, I had on my computer screen, all the calls that are active, and I hear an accident, and I hear on the radio, 'She's trapped in the vehicle submerged in water,' " Fulton recalled.

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Fulton quickly learned that the person trapped and in distress was none other than his daughter.

"My heart just sank immediately," he said. But then, he received a call from officers with good news.

"He said she's alive. She's fine, just wet and cold, and wants to talk to you."

Meghan, Fulton's daughter, had cheated death. She didn't suffer from any significant injuries.

"So thankful to have been there at that time and just so thankful that she's okay," Margarey Valdez, one of the three people who helped rescue Meghan, said.

After witnessing the entire accident, she says her maternal instincts kicked in.

"Just ran over and held her, told her she was going to be okay, and she was, which was amazing," says Valdez.

Even though she says she doesn't consider herself a hero, Fulton and his family, Valdez, and the two other good Samaritans will always hold a special place in their hearts.

"Those three individuals that stopped and ran down to my daughter without thinking, I'll never be able to repay them," Fulton said.

That experience has inspired Fulton to become a better officer.