Van crashes into Texas bayou

HOUSTON -- A group of workers is recovering at the hospital after their van crashed into the White Oak Bayou off the North Freeway at Cavalcade in Houston. The men, two with severe injuries, were forced to jump onto the roof of their van as Houston Firefighters used a boat to rescue them.

Video from the KTRK-TV helicopter showed several people sitting on top of the van, which was about halfway down in the water.

Houston police said around 7 a.m., a witness saw the driver of the van headed southbound on the North Freeway then exit Calvacade at a high rate of speed. Police say the driver swerved to miss traffic, hit the median then went airborne and took a nose dive into the bayou. The van landed on its tires, floating in the water.

Houston fire officials said six of the passengers were able to get on the roof but a seventh man had to be rescued from inside the van.

Rescue teams placed a ladder from the shore to the van and sent in a boat to rescue the people involved in the accident. Five men were transported to LBJ Hospital. Two of them suffered severe injuries. Two other men walked away virtually unharmed.

HPD said the driver did not have a license and will likely be ticketed.