Another hurricane drowning victim identified

PORT BOLIVAR — The Galveston County Medical Examiner identified Tuesday the body of a man found in a debris pile deposited on Goat Island by Hurricane Ike.

Shane Williams, 33, of Port Bolivar was identified by the medical examiner by a partial fingerprint, which was obtained by the Sheriff’s Office, said John Florence, a spokesman with the Medical Examiner’s Office.

Searchers found Williams’ body in a debris pile Oct. 3, Florence said. Williams had drowned, Florence said.

The discovery of Williams’ identity brings the number of unidentified bodies to three, Florence said.

The medical examiner may have to rely on dental records or even DNA to identify one woman found on Pelican Island and another man and woman found on Goat Island, Florence said.

Searchers found 15 people who were either in Galveston County or were county residents, who died either directly or indirectly from the storm.

It isn’t known how many people stayed on Bolivar Peninsula to brave the storm surge, which inundated homes and businesses in Port Bolivar, Crystal Beach and Gilchrist.

Some told amazing stories of how they clung to anything that would float until the surge subsided following the hurricane’s Sept. 13 landfall.

Chambers County Judge Jim Sylvia said one woman was found dead near a debris pile there, but six people were found alive and survived, he said.

Galveston County officials are formulating a search-and-recovery plan to resume picking through debris on the peninsula. Finding equipment and manpower for the job has proved challenge, however, and no restart date has been set.

It is believed more bodies are buried in the debris fields of Goat Island, officials have said, based on hits by cadaver dogs before the search teams ceased their initial search phase.