The Medina County Sheriff’s Office recovered the body of a 20-year-old man Tuesday, Nov. 5, after his vehicle was swept off the road during heavy flooding on Monday night, Nov. 4.
Sheriff Randy Brown reported Sujit Shah’s car was overtaken by rising floodwaters around 9 p.m. near Park Road 37 and Farm to Market Road 1283 in northeast Medina County.
Shah made a 911 call describing his situation before the call disconnected.
The sheriff’s office, along with Bexar and Bandera county agencies, began the search immediately.
“My dispatcher had a 12-minute conversation with him—a lot of panic, and his vehicle was already off the road,” Brown said. The search was challenging, with crews navigating rough terrain and racing against worsening weather conditions.
Rescuers located Shah’s vehicle about 1.5 miles downstream late Monday night, but it was unoccupied.
Crews resumed their search early Tuesday morning and located Shah’s body over five miles downstream by 2 p.m.
Sheriff Brown emphasized the dangers of floodwaters, which can appear deceptively shallow but quickly turn deadly.
“It can look like pavement, and before you know it, your vehicle is off the road and into the current,” he said.
A GoFundMe campaign has been set up by Shah’s uncle, Shree Sah, to help cover the costs of returning his nephew’s body to Nepal for his last rites.
The fundraiser page explains that Shah had recently moved to Texas from Alabama and was on his way home from work at Hill Country Grocery Store in Lakehills when the tragic incident occurred.
“Our condolences are with the family during this difficult time,” Medina County EMS posted on Facebook. “While this was not the outcome we hoped for, we are proud of the efforts of all involved.”
The community is encouraged to support the family by visiting the GoFundMe page at: gofundme.com/f/ support-for-sujit-shahsfinal-rites.
