Family killed by fallen tree identified; death toll at 4 after man found in floodwaters

From Local 3 News: UPDATE: A young family of three were killed after a large tree fell on their car Tuesday night.
 
East Ridge police responded to South Moore Road just before midnight to attempt life-saving rescues.

They found Yuri Tomas Vicente Lopez, 29, Giomara Epifania Vasquez, 27, and Emma Vicente, 3, all deceased.

Officials said the ground had become so saturated in water from flash flooding that the tree fell and crashed on top of the family's car. It also knocked over several power lines, leading to a power outage.

Another man was found dead in flood waters on East Brainerd Road Wednesday after he reportedly 'ran into' floodwaters last night.
 
These incidents bring the total death count from severe storms in the Tennessee Valley to four.


PREVIOUS STORY: Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) officials say the search for a man who was swept away by floodwaters in East Brainerd on Tuesday has ended after his body was found.

A CFD spokesperson says Chattanooga police are now conducting a death investigation after the man's body was found.

Police say the body is a Black male who was found after a Bradley County Sheriff's Office K-9 alerted crews in the area of the search.

The search started on Tuesday after the man went missing in floodwaters in the area of East Brainerd Road.

The body, which has not been identified, has been sent to the Hamilton County Medical Examiner to determine the cause of death.

This is the fourth death in less than 24 hours that is linked to the August 12 flooding in the Tennessee Valley.


PREVIOUS STORY: The man who went missing Tuesday "ran into floodwaters," the Chattanooga Fire Department (CFD) says.
 
Rescue crews are still searching for the man Wednesday afternoon.

They explain that on Tuesday night, the 7600 block of East Brainerd Road was blocked off with yellow tape because of flooding.
 
Firefighters were trying to stop people from going around the barricades for their safety, CFD said.

However, one man "took off running and mistakenly ran right into a flooded creek," the fire department said. The man did not reappear from the floodwaters and first responders started the search.
 
Rescue crews have had limited search capabilities due to rising floodwaters and debris in the creek and along its edges.

There are several crews searching for the man, including the Chattanooga Police Department's drone.