Severe Texas storm flips an RV, killing 1 and injuring a family

ENNIS, Texas — One man died and three of his family members were injured when their RV flipped over several times at the Texas Motorplex during a strong thunderstorm that caused widespread damage in an area about 25 minutes south of Dallas on Saturday.

Strong winds of up to 90 mph (145 kph) ripped the roof off a Days Inn along Interstate 45, damaged homes throughout Ellis County and toppled at least seven semitractor-trailer trucks on Interstate 35. The strong storms also knocked out power to nearly 20,000 people, but didn't generate any tornadoes. Fewer than 300 customers remained without power Sunday evening, but service was expected to be restored by the end of the day. Some quarter-sized hail also fell in the area.

Becky Hogle, who works the front desk at the damaged hotel, told the Dallas Morning News that she and the owner moved quickly to evacuate everyone after the storm hit and opened up many of the second-floor rooms to the sky.

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

The 42-year-old man who died was T.J. Bailey from Midlothian, Texas. His wife and two sons were inside an RV that rolled over at the racetrack, Ellis County Justice of the Peace Chris Macon told The Dallas Morning News. Bailey's family members were treated at a hospital for non-life-threatening injuries. The boys were released, but their mother remained under observation at the hospital Sunday.

Macon said he'd never seen such strong and sustained winds in his lifetime of living in Ellis County.

“I can honestly say, I’ve known the wind to blow, but never like that for that long of a period of time,” he said.

Ennis Mayor Kameron Raburn said in a statement Saturday that the city is beginning to pick up debris and work on recovering from the storm.

“The safety of our residents is our top priority,” Roburn said.

Oncor, the power company, said some of the power restoration work was slowed by fallen trees and other debris that had to be cleared by bulldozers before the utility's workers could get into the area.

The nearby city of Waxahachie had to cancel the weekend events for its Tulipalooza festival because of the storm damage.