An Oklahoma basketball coach and father of four was found dead and his 8-year-old daughter was missing after the family's car was washed away by severe flooding in Texas on Christmas Eve.
Will Robinson, a high school coach from Durant, Okla., and his family were reportedly driving an SUV Tuesday morning when their car veered off the road, stuck in a culvert in Sherman, Texas, and was swept away by strong currents. . CBS News reported.
According to the Sherman Police Department, all six family members were trapped inside.
Robinson lost his life, but four other family members were rescued.
The family's 8-year-old daughter has not been found.
“Efforts to locate the 8-year-old girl have not been successful,” Lt. Samuel Boyle of the Sherman Police Department told Fox News Digital.
“We identified a 15-mile stream downstream from where the vehicle stopped and targeted that with a multi-jurisdictional task force.”
Sherman police have not yet confirmed the identity of Robinson or his family, Boyle told Fox News Digital.
Authorities said they had already covered 7 miles of the creek as of Wednesday, and the search continued after Texas Gov. Greg Abbott authorized the state's search and rescue team to help find the girl. It continues until the third day.
In a statement Wednesday afternoon, the Sherman Police Department said, “We have shifted the focus of our investigation into the county and are targeting several locations that may not have been explored yet,” adding, “The search will continue until dark today. We will then conduct a search,” he added. Please resume your search again before nightfall. ”
Boyle told Fox News Digital that Tuesday's accident was caused by “a combination of heavy rain and groundwater buildup.”
“For some reason, the vehicle veered off the roadway and into a drainage ditch…and the vehicle became caught in the flooding of the ditch.”
“This is a tragedy, it really is,” the lieutenant previously said. told KXII News 12.
Robinson's cousin wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday: “This is truly shocking and I can't bear to have it happen on Christmas Eve.”
“Will was one of the good guys. A devoted husband and father, a beloved basketball coach, and just a wonderful person… Please keep the entire Robinson family in your thoughts and prayers.”
Police said numerous local and state agencies, including the Texas Task Force, are working together in the search.
Boyle told Fox News Digital that the active search time “includes dog, boat and personal watercraft teams.”
“In a crisis like this, we are honored to serve a community that desperately wants to help in any way we can.Dozens of first responders are participating in this search, many of whom are have received extensive training in searching in hazardous situations,” the Sherman Police Department continued in a statement, adding that no additional volunteers are currently needed.
The Sherman Police Department asked anyone with noteworthy information regarding this incident to call the non-emergency number at 903-892-7290.
“My recommendation is to not try to drive through areas where there is significant standing water. You never know how deep it will be and cars are not designed for that. ,'' Boyle told FOX News Digital in a message to all drivers experiencing rain or flooding conditions.
“Once you lose the ability to drive, you are simply at the mercy of the water, and that can be extremely dangerous to the occupants of the vehicle.”
“If you are unable to continue on the roadway because of a large puddle across the road… stop and find another way around the road. Call your local police. If you are not familiar with the area Please call your local emergency services and ask for recommendations.
