UPDATE: The Harris County Medical Examiner identified the driver whose body was found in the cab of his truck on the flooded Sam Houston Parkway near Houston Monday afternoon as 60-year-old Pedro Rascon Morales.
No hometown nor company for which Morales drove was listed on the ME’s website. Cause of death is pending completion of the examination.
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A truck driver was one of at least five people who died during the historic rainfall that flooded much of the Houston metropolitan area Sunday April 17 and Monday April 18.
The Houston Chronicle Monday reported a man was seen driving his tractor-trailer into high water Monday on West Hardy Road and the Beltway. The newspaper’s report added, “… a medical condition may have been involved.”
The identity of the truck driver has yet to be released. The Harris County Medical Examiner is performing an autopsy Tuesday morning, and expects to have an identity and cause of death later today.
According to The Weather Channel, citizens rescued semi truck driver Ron Bumpus from his rig after he drove into floodwaters near Brookshire, Texas.
See how the driver of one truck deals with the Texas floods.
Authorities say the recent rains were the worst since Tropical Storm Allison in 2001. As much as 20 inches of rain fell during the storm.
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott declared a state of emergency as rivers and streams in the area continue to rise.
Reports say more than 1,200 people had to be rescued from flood waters, which dumped more than 240 billion gallons of water on Houston and surrounding areas in 24 hours.
This unrelated video shows a tractor/trailer plowing through floodwaters in Houston.
