Heavy rains, flooding kill Alabama motorist, police say
Published 5:33 pm Sunday, September 19, 2021
Authorities on Sunday found the body of a man whose vehicle was overtaken by water during flash flooding in Tuscaloosa the day before.
A spokeswoman for the Tuscaloosa police, Stephanie Taylor, told Al.com that the man’s body was found shortly before 8 a.m. Sunday morning. The area where his body was discovered was about a quarter-mile downstream from where his red SUV was swept into a drainage ditch.
The city’s police department said Saturday in a statement on Facebook that heavy rainfall had led to road closures and stranded motorists across the city. Authorities said several people called 911 after the rising floodwaters stalled their vehicles and forced them to crawl out of their windows to safety.
Police said a witness told police that he saw a vehicle get stuck in the drainage tunnel and saw the 40-year-old occupant disappear under the flood waters.
In Huntsville, police advised drivers to use caution because of standing water and hydroplaning. Officers said Sunday that since midnight they responded to nearly two dozen accidents and listed a number of roads in the city that were closed due to flooding.
The National Weather Service in Huntsville warned of slow-moving showers Sunday that could cause localized flooding.