CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Dramatic video showed the moment a car barreled through the floodwaters on Wilkinson Boulevard Thursday evening as storms moved through the Charlotte area.
"Oh my gosh," said Clara Doggett as she recorded the ordeal on her phone.
Lameka Smith said she saw other people driving on the road and though she could make it.
"And I just went into the water," said Smith. "It was high! It was high, it was like a flood. That's what it felt like to me, a flood."
She and her 6-year-old son are now safe after they were stuck on the flooded road with water rushing in.
"Real deep! To the point where I opened the door and it came inside the door and stuff like that. Yeah, it almost felt like I was floating, like I was drowning," Smith said.
Thankfully, Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police helped them to higher ground and out of the rising water.
"Thank you! Thank you so much," Smith said as she smiled at the officers who helped.
"She just kind of got stranded there for a bit," said Doggett.
Doggett looked on from a red light as several drivers took the chance. Some could even be seen driving on the median to pass through.
"Yeah, that'd be terrifying actually! Yeah, I'd be really scared," Doggett added.
Smith said she didn't realize the water was that deep until she was in it. Now, she's sending a message to others.
"Pretty much, if it rains, don't go out unless it's important. That's the top thing. And if you get caught in floods, make sure your phone is charged if you go out and it's raining," Smith said.
Smith said on top of everything else, her phone was dead. Thankfully, bystanders called 9-1-1 to get her help.
Her car did start back up, but she'll likely get it looked it.