City of Garland officials have confirmed one fatality resulting from Nov. 27 early morning flooding.
The vehicle of Benjamin Floyd of Wylie was swept into floodwater shortly before 6:20 a.m. Friday near the intersection of Brand Road and Campbell Road. He was not able to escape the car before it became submerged. The 29-year-old victim was married and had a 4-year-old son.
On his way to work at Target, Floyd called 911 for help, but the Garland Fire Department was unable to get to him before the vehicle disappeared under the water.
Garland Fire Department Captain George Winton said that the victim had told the 911 operator that water was coming in the car and that he tried to get in the back seat or get out of the vehicle. The call disconnected and the 911 operator lost communication with Floyd.
Winton added that loss of life is always very sad and particularly sad in this case because the 911 operator had contact with him before the car had disappeared under the water.
Two additional motorists were rescued from a vehicle at the Brand Road/Campbell Road location with no injuries and a third victim was rescued from a vehicle near the intersection of Naaman School Road and Brand Road.
High water was also the cause of other Garland road closures at Miles Road and Pleasant Valley Road and at Castle and Brook.
City officials remind drivers not to drive into high water or try to go around barricades. Driving through flood water is extremely dangerous and it can take as little as six inches of fast moving water to knock over an adult. Only two feet of water will sweep away most vehicles, including pickups and SUVs.
Additionally, flash flooding/high water situations are responsible for more fatalities than any other weather-related incident.
City officials urge motorists to “Turn around, don’t drown.”