More Victims Killed In North Texas Weekend Tornadoes Identified
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - The National Weather Service has confirmed there were at least 9 tornadoes that hit the North Texas area this past weekend. In all, 11 people were killed, all in Garland and Collin County, and thousands of homes were destroyed.
NWS officials say the strongest of the 9 twisters hit in the city limits of Garland and Rowlett and had winds up to 180 miles per hour. The EF-4 twister left a 13-mile path of destruction.
Governor Greg Abbott declared a state of disaster in four North Texas counties: Collin, Dallas, Ellis and Rockwall.
But while some North Texans begin salvaging, there is no recovery for others. Mesquite mother of four Petra Porras was among the people killed on Interstate-30 and the President George Bush Turnpike Saturday night. The 24-year-old was driving when the tornado hit.
Cecil Lowrie, 77, and his wife Evelyn were also on the highway in Garland when the twister touched down. The car the couple was traveling in was picked up and thrown from a bridge. Cecil did not survive, but Evelyn is alive, hospitalized in Plano with very serious injuries.
It is believed that the youngest of the Garland storm victims was little Kamryn Crain. The 1-year-old boy was with his mom, Kimberly Tippett, when the massive tornado hit and neither survived.
Collin County Sheriff's Office 911 operator LaShondra "Shon" Whitaker is also a victim. The 32-year-old had only been employed with the Collin County Sheriff's Office since August 2015.
Also killed in Garland were 58-year-old Timothy Harris and 42-year-old Sharva Sanders. The eighth storm victim so far has not been identified.
(©2015 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)