An investigation is underway after three people were found dead in a vehicle following recent flooding in Tuscaloosa.
The discovery was made about 8 a.m. Thursday near Main Street and 19th Street N.E. in the Holt community.
Tuscaloosa Violent Crimes Unit Capt. Jack Kennedy said the vehicle – an SUV – was discovered after floodwaters from Tuesday night’s storms receded.
The vehicle was submerged and took some time time extricate. One person was found dead at that time.
“The vehicle also contained a large amount of debris, mud, and water. “The decision was made to move the vehicle to a secure location before processing further inside to ensure no loss of potential evidence,’’ Kennedy said. “At this time three deceased persons have been located in the vehicle.”
Kennedy said the victims were all adults and no foul play is suspected.
“At this time this appears to be the result of a traffic accident where the vehicle encountered floodwaters, or left the roadway, and then sank in the deeper drainage area,’’ he said. “The vehicle was found just off the roadway in a drainage area or creek, that had been flooded from the heavy storms from two days ago.”
Kennedy said the vehicle was several feet under the water until the water began receding. The water also covered the roadway at one point.
All the three of the victims’ families have been notified. Their bodies are being sent to The Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for autopsy.
The victims were a 72-year-old man, a 58-year-old female and a 42-year-old female.
Tuscaloosa was among many Alabama cities hard-hit by flash flooding earlier this week.
Last week, a Birmingham man died when he was swept away in flash flooding near St. Vincent’s Hospital.
Joseva Lawrence Speed, 60, died Wednesday, March 16, when authorities said he caught up in the swift-moving water after heavy rain pummeled the Birmingham area. He was in the 800 block of 24th Street outside St. Vincent’s Hospital and trying to get into a family member’s vehicle when he went under at 3:01 p.m.
In September 2021, a man was swept away in Tuscaloosa flood waters and found dead the following day.
Kelvin Watford’s body was recovered about 7:45 a.m. near 26th Avenue, east of I-359, said Tuscaloosa police spokeswoman Stephanie Taylor.
Tuscaloosa Fire Rescue Service firefighters were preparing to resume the search for the 40-year-old man around 7:45 a.m. Sunday when a family friend assisting with the search located him in a wooded area just west of Interstate 359.
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.