By MARY JANE FARMER
Herald Democrat
VAN ALSTYNE -- The thunderstorms tore through Grayson County on Sunday with sky-to-ground lightning, heavy rains and winds estimated to have reached 60 mph were blamed for a major, three-vehicle wreck in the southbound lanes of U.S. Highway 75 in the Van Alstyne area.
According to responders on police and ambulance radio frequencies, seven people were injured. Van Alstyne's EMS received assistance from Sherman ambulance crews, and Gunter Fire Department helped with traffic control.
Officers reported traffic was especially hazardous because approaching drivers could not see the danger through the heavy rains.
Radio traffic also was heard to say the southbound U.S. Highway 75 service road approaching the F.M. 902 overpass in Howe was flooded and Haning Street in Howe was also flooding under that overpass. A few moments later, a report came through that the police station, which is a short distance west of U.S. Highway 75, was beginning to take on water.
Firefighters were also heard responding to assist a motorist in the Hall Cemetery Road area west of Howe. The driver was still inside his vehicle stuck on the flooded roadway.
Another report was relayed that a driver on the Red River bridge lost control of his vehicle, bounced a couple of times off the guard rail and wound up down the embankment.
By 10:50 p.m. emergency dispatchers for Grayson County were forwarding reports that Van Alstyne roadways at exit 51, exit and entrance ramps, were completely flooded.