HOUSTON – New video released by the Harris County Toll Road Authority shows a driver making a fatal mistake Monday morning on South Post Oak Blvd. near the Westpark Tollway.
The video shows the driver, identified as Claudia Melgar, of a white Dodge Durango drive into at least 30 feet of flood water, as a toll road worker tries to chase after the vehicle, even jumping into the water to save the driver.
The high-profile vehicle disappears into the water and the rescuer can do nothing to help.
"What happened was truly unfortunate. There was a barrier in place," Harris County Judge Ed Emmett said. "We are going to work with TxDOT and the city. I'm going to take ownership of this. We've got to make it safe."
Family members of the 25-year-old were terrified Tuesday that the body found inside the Durango may be hers. Melgar was last seen at 3 a.m. Monday at a local nightclub and has not been heard from since 6 that morning.
"She was in the Westheimer area and she was in a white, Dodge Durango. She texted her mother telling her she was on her way home, and we have not heard anything from her since then. We are very, very scared," Linda Rodriguez, Claudia's cousin, said.
The Medical Examiner's Officer confirmed the identity of Melgar on Wednesday morning.
[LIST OF HIGH WATER LOCATIONS]
Channel 2 Investigates has also obtained video of another flood victim, 43-year-old Teri Rodriguez, a mother of three children, the moment she drove her vehicle into a drainage ditch at 1807 Briar Creek Boulevard. She drowned at the scene.
The families of two victims, Rodriguez and Suresh Talluri, have set up GoFundMe accounts to help pay for expenses related to their deaths.
The National Weather Service released a video showing how quickly a situation turns deadly in flood-related incidents. It takes just 12 inches of flowing water to carry off a small car; and 18 to 24 inches for larger vehicles.
More than half of the deaths from flooding each year occur in vehicles.