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Kingsville flooding places heavy toll on vehicles

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Posted at 10:39 PM, May 19, 2021
and last updated 2021-05-19 23:39:22-04

KINGSVILLE, Texas — With city and county offices within the area closed during a day of heavy flooding, in addition to homes — concerns soon surrounded vehicles for many area residents.

Kimberly Dorman, who drives for Uber and DoorDash, said she made the decision to move her car once she realized floodwaters were getting to the midsection of her driver-side door. She drove it off to higher ground, and when to check on it later in the afternoon, hoping that it wouldn’t be towed.

“I had to save my car — because that’s my lifeline,” Dorman said, proudly starting her car. “(If something would have happened) I’d have to start all over from ground one from the beginning.”

But at Horizon Village, a public housing development, some vehicles encountered harsh water conditions.

Precious Badejo is normally able to pick up her first-grade daughter from Perez Elementary everyday. Although she was able to drop her off in the early-morning, the conditions from the storm made that a challenge.

“My car was flooded inside, water got into my car,” Badejo said. “I’ve been in Kingsville since 2019 and when I came the first time, I was told it hardly rained in Kingsville, so I’ve never seen anything like this.”

Badejo’s daughter eventually hopped out of a school bus and walked home with her mother. Although the conditions surrounding her 2003 Toyota Camry is uncertain, she was happy be reunited.

“I expected the rain,” she said. “But it didn’t seem like it would be this bad, I’m shocked — I’m actually shocked.”