Severe Texas Storm Overturns RV, Resulting in One Fatality and Injuries to Family

ENNIS, Texas—A man lost his life, and three of his family members sustained injuries when their RV overturned multiple times at the Texas Motorplex amid a fierce thunderstorm that wreaked havoc in an area roughly 25 minutes south of Dallas on Saturday.

Gusty winds reaching up to 90 mph (145 kph) sheared the roof off a Days Inn along Interstate 45, caused damage to homes across Ellis County, and overturned at least seven semitrailer trucks on Interstate 35. The intense storms also left nearly 20,000 people without power, although no tornadoes were reported. By Sunday evening, fewer than 300 customers were still without electricity, with full service anticipated by the end of the day. The area also experienced some quarter-sized hail.

Becky Hogle, a front desk employee at the affected hotel, recounted to the Dallas Morning News how she and the owner promptly evacuated guests after the storm hit, exposing many of the second-floor rooms to the elements.

“So I pulled my hair up in a scrunchie, ran over, and we started knocking on doors telling people they had to vacate,” she shared on Sunday.

The deceased was identified as 42-year-old T.J. Bailey from Midlothian, Texas. His wife and two sons were in the RV that flipped at the racetrack, according to Ellis County Justice of the Peace Chris Macon who spoke with The Dallas Morning News. The Bailey family members were taken to a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The two boys were discharged, but their mother remained under observation at the hospital as of Sunday.

Macon commented that he had never experienced such strong and sustained winds in his lifetime in Ellis County.

“I can honestly say, I’ve known the wind to blow, but never like that for such an extended duration,” he remarked.

Ennis Mayor Kameron Raburn issued a statement on Saturday indicating that the city is initiating cleanup efforts and working towards recovery from the storm.

“The safety of our residents is our foremost concern,” Raburn stated.

Oncor, the electricity provider, reported that some restoration activities were hindered by fallen trees and debris which required clearance by heavy machinery before utility workers could access the impacted areas.

The adjacent city of Waxahachie had to cancel its weekend events for the Tulipalooza festival due to the storm’s impact.