ENNIS, Texas — A tragic accident occurred at the Texas Motorplex during a severe thunderstorm, resulting in the death of a man and injuries to three members of his family. The incident took place on Saturday, about 25 minutes south of Dallas, as the family’s RV overturned multiple times. The violent storm, characterized by winds reaching up to 90 mph, caused significant damage across the region.
The severe winds tore off the roof of a Days Inn hotel along Interstate 45, led to the damage of homes throughout Ellis County, and overturned at least seven semitractor-trailer trucks on Interstate 35. Although the storm disrupted power to almost 20,000 residents, no tornadoes were reported. By Sunday evening, power had been restored to most, with fewer than 300 customers still affected. The area also experienced quarter-sized hail during the storm.
Becky Hogle, a front desk employee at the damaged hotel, described the rapid evacuation efforts. Following the destruction, she and the owner directed guests to vacate as the storm had opened the second-floor rooms to the elements. “So I pulled my hair up in a scrunchie, ran over and we started knocking on doors telling people they had to vacate,” she explained.
The 42-year-old victim has been identified as T.J. Bailey from Midlothian, Texas. His wife and two sons were in the RV at the racetrack when it rolled over. They were hospitalized with non-life-threatening injuries. The boys have since been discharged, while their mother continues to be monitored at the hospital.
Chris Macon, Ellis County Justice of the Peace, commented on the unusual severity of the winds, noting that he had never witnessed such prolonged strong winds in the area. “I can honestly say, I’ve known the wind to blow, but never like that for that long of a period of time,” Macon stated.
Mayor Kameron Raburn of Ennis assured residents in a Saturday statement that recovery efforts were underway and that safety remains the top priority. The power company, Oncor, mentioned that their restoration efforts were hindered by the need to remove fallen trees and debris before workers could access certain areas.
The nearby city of Waxahachie was also impacted, resulting in the cancellation of the weekend events for its Tulipalooza festival due to the storm’s destruction.
