San Antonio Sheriff's Deputy Killed After Car Falls Into Huge Sinkhole [UPDATED]

SAN ANTONIO, TX — A massive sinkhole opened up in San Antonio overnight, swallowing up two cars and killing a motorist later identified as a sheriff's deputy.

On Monday afternoon, the Bexar County Sheriff's Office confirmed that the person who died in the sinkhole was Deputy Dora Linda (Solis) Nishihara. The deputy's car was among those swallowed up by the huge sinkhole in the 8400 block of Quintana Road in the city's Southwest side. The hole is the diameter of the street and contains about 12 feet of water, according to the sheriff's office.

Officials said the sinkhole was likely caused by a large sewer line ruptured Sunday evening. Thunderstorms that have descended upon south and central Texas since Saturday likely contributed to the creation of the sinkhole.

In making the official announcement of Nishihara's death on Sunday, the sheriff's office said those who worked with her were "heartbroken" to learn of her death.

"Nishihara worked as a part-time Deputy at the Bexar County Courthouse since October," the sheriff's office said in a subsequent tweet. "We are assisting her family as they deal with this tragedy."

In another tweet, the sheriff's office said Nishihara also worked as a reserve deputy beginning in 2009: "Our thoughts and prayers are with her friends and family," the tweet read. "Deputy Nishihara worked as a Reserve Deputy from August 2009 to October 2016."

Rescue efforts at the sinkhole near the intersection with Leon Creek began just after 5:30 p.m. on Sunday. A man in his 60s was rescued, and he and another person were transported to a hospital for treatment of their injuries, according to emergency officials. A search for others potentially injured was postponed until the following morning.

ABC News subsequently flew a drone over the site, dramatically illustrating the immensity of the sinkhole that claimed the life of the deputy:

Nishihara's death comes just more than two weeks since a San Antonio Police Department officer was killed in the line of duty. Detective Benjamin Marconi was shot on Nov. 20 in an ambush attack outside police headquarters as he sat in his car writing a traffic ticket.

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