Man drowns in Biloxi after filming Hurricane Zeta

An Alabama man drowned Wednesday in Mississippi after attempting to get video on Hurricane Zeta.

Harrison County Coroner Brian Switzer confirmed the man’s identity Thursday morning.

Leslie Richardson, 58, of Theodore, Alabama, was filming the effects of Zeta for his sister near the Broadwater Marina in Biloxi Wednesday night, the Sun Herald reports.

After filming, Richardson got into his car and attempted to leave the area.

“The deep water started to come around the vehicle,” Switzer told the paper. “He realized he was in trouble and called 911,” around 7:30 p.m.

By that time, it was too late. Water on U.S. Route 90 was already deeper than the military-style vehicles used by the police, and they could not reach him.

The last contact dispatchers had with Richardson, he said he thought his vehicle would float away. He then left the car in search of higher ground.

Around 9:30 p.m. a guest at a nearby hotel called 911 to report a body in the water. The guest attempted to revive Richardson without any luck. Switzer pronounced him dead at the scene.