Dramatic video shows men trying to save El Paso truck driver

ABC-7 has obtained dramatic new video of a desperate attempt to save an El Paso truck driver who drove his truck into flood waters in Houston earlier this week and drowned.

Sixty-one year-old Pedro Rascon Morales was a longtime truck owner/operator who lived in Central El Paso with his family. Officials at J. J. Transport in Clint told ABC-7 he had only been hauling loads for them for the past couple of months.

The ABC affiliate in Houston, KTRK, sent ABC-7 video of good samaritans trying to force their way into the cab of Morales’ truck and get him out of the water. In addition to pounding on the cab of the truck with hammers, they shouted to Morales as the truck remained submerged.

After several minutes, the men give way to paramedics, who eventually pulled Morales from the truck.

“I saw the bed of the 18-wheeler kind of floating and tilted and we saw people running over there,” Houston resident Arturo Martinez, Jr., told KHOU. “I was curious if there was somebody under there. We were yelling at him, ‘Hey, kick out the window!’ By then I realized, ‘Hey, we’ve got to get in there.’ We had some of the smallest things, like little hammers from cars, tire tools, ropes that people were using. We tried everything we could, but we couldn’t get him out. I felt his fingers moving. He was trying to grip, but there was not much strength in his hand. I knew it was a matter of time before we lost him, because the water was already over him.”

Morales is one of eight people confirmed dead now in the Houston flooding. In just 12 hours, a foot and a half of rain fell, forcing creeks to burst over their banks.

Morales’ family is in Houston making arrangements to return his body to El Paso for burial. His family sent out this statement through a friend of the family:

“Like any family would be, we are deeply saddened at the loss of Pedro Rascon Morales. He is an irreplaceable part of our lives. We are very appreciative of the kind words and sentiments that have been extended to our family. Understandably, this is a very difficult time for our family and we are choosing to remember Pedro’s life within the confines of our family. We ask for privacy at this very difficult time. Thank you all for your understanding.”

Morales is survived by his wife, son and daughter, son-in-law and two grandchildren.