Body found inside a vehicle in Upshur County creek identified

UPDATE: Justice of the Peace Wyone Manes has identified the woman as 48-year-old Dondi Young of Upshur County.

GLADEWATER, Texas (KLTV) - A startling discovery made by an East Texas motorist this morning, spotting a crashed vehicle well off the roadway, and the driver is found dead inside.

It was around sunrise when Upshur County authorities say a passing driver notified them that they had spotted what appeared to be a crashed vehicle off the north side of highway 80, between Gladewater and Big Sandy, saying it was well off into the wood line.

Investigators say it appeared the vehicle ran off of the road at the White Oak Creek bridge, and rolled into a creek about 50 feet into the woods.

As emergency crews arrived they went out to the vehicle and found a 48 year old woman inside, deceased.

The woman was the only occupant.

There were no reports of any accidents in the area, and its unknown how long the car had been there.

There are no homes or intersection near the area, with investigators saying that might be why no one reported an accident.

“We don’t know anything. a passerby just happened to see the car,” said one responder on the scene.

DPS troopers and Gladewater fire along with wreckers worked to pull the vehicle out and gather information on who the driver was.

The woman’s body was sent to Tyler for an autopsy.

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