EL PASO, Texas -- A bee swarm this week attacked several people in San Elizario, Texas, but one man suffered the brunt of the pain.

Fire officials and deputies said the driver of a tractor-trailer unintentionally disturbed a bee hive in the canal as he cleared it from weeds. He was stung more than 200 times, reported KFOX-TV in El Paso.

Justin Otton, 35, who is employed by the El Paso County Water Improvement District, was clearing the weeds along the canal that runs parallel with Camino De La Rosa when he was attacked by the swarm of bees, deputies said.

The bees were able to attack Otton because his windows were down while he was operating a tractor. They entered the driver compartment and began stinging him.

Trying to get away from the bees, Otton ran into the street.

"One vehicle, we're not sure why they stopped. We assume they were trying to help the driver of the bulldozer," said Anthony Lopez, a firefighter with the San Elizario Volunteer Fire Department. "They were chased off by the bees; they couldn't get back in their vehicle."

Otton took himself to the hospital while Martin Chavez, 43, and Josue Chavez, 18, were treated at the scene by Life Ambulance.

Hospital staff told deputies they estimated Otton had been stung about 200 to 300 times in the head, neck, face and hands. He remains in stable condition.

One bee sting isn't that bad unless you're allergic," Lopez said. "If you have an allergic reaction, the body starts to overcompensate for the poison that is introduced into the system and you begin to go into what we call anaphylactic shock, which can be positively fatal."

The bees were exterminated because they were creating a public hazard. Firefighters used foam to disperse the bees.

Experts said it is not a good idea to swat bees away. Instead, move away from them quickly to avoid an attack. Allergic reactions to bees and other stinging insects are responsible for at least 100 deaths a year in the United States, according to WebMD.