Houston Police Officer Drowns After Getting Trapped in Floodwaters

Houston Police block Interstate 10 East early Monday morning near the junction with Loop 610 due to high water from Hurricane Harvey on Aug. 28, 2017 in Houston, Texas. (Erich Schlegel/Getty Images)

By    |   Tuesday, 29 August 2017 02:28 PM EDT ET

A Houston police officer drowned in his patrol car early Sunday while driving to work amid Hurricane Harvey.

The officer, who's been with the Houston Police Department for over 30 years, was on his way to downtown Houston when he got trapped in floodwaters on I-45 and the Hardy Toll Road, according to the Houston Chronicle.

"He was trying different routes, and took a wrong turn," one unnamed official told the newspaper.

The officer's death brings the number of deaths in Texas as a result of Hurricane Harvey to 15.

According to Fox News, there are over 17,000 people in need of shelter as the hurricane continues to plague the city.

Local shelters like the George R. Brown Convention Center are struggling to provide shelter to every person that's been affected by the storm.

The convention center reached capacity late Monday with about 5,000 people receiving shelter.

Since hitting Texas on Tuesday, Harvey has brought a record 49 inches of rain, according to the National Weather Service. The storm is expected to bring more rain through Thursday before moving toward Louisiana.

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A Houston police officer drowned in his patrol car early Sunday while driving to work amid Hurricane Harvey.
houston, police officer, drowns, harvey
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2017-28-29
Tuesday, 29 August 2017 02:28 PM
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