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Death of man found in ditch appears to be weather-related, authorities say

HOUSTON – A man's body was found in a ditch Friday morning in northwest Harris County, authorities say.

The Harris County Sheriff’s Office said the body was found around 8 a.m. on West Mount Houston Road near Sweetwater Lane.

Authorities said business owners found the body in a drainage ditch just outside their driveway. 

Family members later identified the man as 52-year-old Rene Salas.

However, according to authorities, the victim is believed to be an employee of a nearby body shop. 

Authorities said his boss was giving him a ride home and when they got to W Mount Houston and Sweetwater, the road was impassable due to high water.

Salas then got out of the vehicle and started to walk home by himself, authorities said.

Despite the witness account, authorities said they found no signs of trauma and the victim had all of his property on him.

Homicide detectives were investigating the scene since his death was unclear. Based on that information, authorities said it is likely Salas was a drowning victim.

His son said he wanted his father to be remembered as a loving father and grandfather, who would join his recently deceased brother in heaven.

If his death is confirmed to be a drowning, he will be the fourth person to have died in Imelda.


About the Authors
Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli headshot

Daniela Sternitzky-Di Napoli has been a digital news editor at KPRC 2 since 2018. She is a published poet and has background in creative writing and journalism. Daniela has covered events like Hurricane Harvey and the Astros World Series win. In her spare time, Daniela is an avid reader and loves to spend time with her two miniature dachshunds.

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