Travis County Sheriff's Office Identifies Drowning Victim

TRAVIS COUNTY, TX -- Sheriff's office officials on Wednesday released the name of a man found dead after his vehicle was swept away by flood waters last Friday.

The deceased was identified as Mark Hayes, 46, a resident of Austin, confirmed Travis County Sheriff's Office spokesman Roger Wade.

On June 6, a missing person report was issued for a Hayes after reports he was swept away while in his vehicle at a low-water crossing in the 6300 block of Spicewood Springs Road on June 3.

On Tuesday at about 11:30 a.m., a body was found some 150 yards downstream form the low-water crossing where the vehicle was recovered. The medical examiner's office later positively identified the deceased as Hayes, Wade said via email.

Wade agreed the latest drowning victim in a rainy season that has yielded several deaths dramatically illustrates the need for motorists to heed warning signs at low-water crossings. Despite continual warnings from law enforcement officials and others, motorists sometimes drive over low-water crossings thinking they can pass without any repercussions.

"First we are saddened, and our hearts go out to the family in this case," Wade said via email. "Yes, people should be heeding our message that if you see water going over the road you should; “Turn around. Don’t drown.”