Watch CBS News

Family of woman killed in Kaufman County floodwaters says something needs to change

Family of woman killed in Kaufman County flood says something needs to change
Family of woman killed in Kaufman County flood says something needs to change 01:50

KAUFMAN COUNTY (CBSNewsTexas.com) — The family of a Kaufman County woman killed in this weekend's floods says something needs to change.

The low-lying stretch of FM 1390 where Angel McKnight was driving early Saturday, they say, had no guard rail nor warning signs. And even after she was swept away, the 23-year-old didn't realize how much danger she was in.

Angel McKnight
Angel McKnight, 23.

McKnight was one of two drivers who died that morning.

"She said she was stuck in a ditch...and she needed a tow truck to pull her out. And I told her, 'Hang up and call 911,'" explained McKnight's aunt Joy Collins.

Her family believes she was shortly sucked under the road by the flowing water. 

McKnight's mother, Jamie Collins, says warning drivers of low-lying areas or adding a barrier to keep them on the road could save lives. 

A spokesperson for the Texas Department of Transportation says it routinely reviews deaths on state roads like the one McKnight was on and that they're always looking for ways to increase safety. 

The department wouldn't comment on McKnight's death, though, saying it is still investigating.

"Something needs to happen so that nobody else loses their mother, father, brother, sister," Jamie Collins said.

View CBS News In
CBS News App Open
Chrome Safari Continue
Be the first to know
Get browser notifications for breaking news, live events, and exclusive reporting.