Driver loses control of vehicle, ends up at the bottom of local water pit
Updates:
1/31/09 5:00 p.m. DPS trooper Thomas Goodson confirmed today that an autopsy has been ordered in this case.
1/30/09 5:30 p.m. Three other rescuers who were instrumental in pulling Jose Navarro from his submersed automobile have been identified. Corbitt Hill, Lorenzo Duran, and Kenneth Pleasant, who work nearby, went into the water and added in the rescue effort.
Witnesses reported Friday afternoon that there were no skid marks on the road in the area where the vehicle ran through the fence.
1/30/09 12:15 p.m. Authorities have confirmed that Mr. Navarro died in route to the hospital this morning.
1/30/09
10:30 a.m. The driver of a Chevrolet
Suburban was reportedly conscious, but injured, after losing control of
his vehicle early Friday morning on FM 180 in the east part of Lee
County. The vehicle ran off the road and into a local business mans
water pit. According to witnesses, Jose Jamie Navarro, 32 of Giddings, was headed south bound on FM 180 when he ran through a fence, went airborne and ended up in the middle of the tank which is owned by Harley Goerlitz. The tank is located at the corner of Highway 290 and FM 180. The accident occurred at approximately 7:45 a.m.
Once the Suburban left the road it sank to the bottom of the nine foot water pit with Navarro inside.
Two
men, one who saw the accident occur and another who was at the property,
stopped to render aid to Navarro. Russell Jurk and Billy Goerlitz went
into the water in an effort to pull Navarro out but were unable to see
because of the murky conditions. The pair used tools from their pick-ups to break out the windows of the Suburban and then hooked on to the Suburban with a tractor. Harley Goerlitz operated the equipment, a farm tractor and a track loader, which were used to pull the vehicle toward the bank and over on its side. Once the vehicle was at the surface several men, who were joined in the water by Giddings Volunteer Firefighter Tommy Ewing, were able to pull Navarro from under the water to the shore.
With
the help of other passersby and rescue workers who had arrived at the
scene Navarro was pulled to safety and taken by ambulance to St Mark's
Medical Center in LaGrange. Witnesses at the scene reported that Navarro
was conscious, but injured and "shaken up" when put into the
ambulance. Navarro was said to have injuries but it is unclear at this
time if they are life threatening. 
