Texas Man and His Dog Die Inside Hot Car After Car Battery Dies

An elderly man and his beloved dog were found dead inside the man's "dream" sports car in Texas.

James Rogers of Port Arthur, Texas and his dog were found dead in the man's 2007 Chevy Corvette after his electric doors and windows stopped working when the battery died. The incident happened on Monday in a Waffle House parking lot. Rogers became locked inside the vehicle after his battery cable became loose. Because of this, he also couldn't honk his horn for help. The Port Arthur Police Department told KHOU that there were signs he tried to free himself from the vehicle. There were footprints inside the vehicle and on the windows, from where the man tried to kick out the window. The temperature in the area on Monday after reached about 92 degrees.

James Rogers also left his cell phone inside the restaurant, so he was unable to call for help. A good samaritan saw Rogers inside the vehicle and attempted to break in but was unable to do so. The fire department was called and they broke into the vehicle to free Rogers, but they were too late. Both James Rogers and his dog were pronounced dead. The cause of death is likely heat exhaustion. There is an emergency handle on the floorboard of Corvettes that can force the doors to open but Mr. Rogers wasn't aware of this. An expert also said that many drivers do not know of this handle's existence. A spokesperson from General Motors said the emergency handle is mentioned in the owner's manual.

Our thoughts and prayers are with James Roger's three children, 5 grandchildren and his friends and family. You can share your condolences on the Levingston Funeral Home website.