CHARLOTTE — A Gaston County woman was killed Monday afternoon when high winds toppled a tree onto her car in the aftermath of storms that also brought heavy rain across much of North Carolina.
Authorities said Doris Rowland, 72, of Stanley was killed Monday afternoon. The N.C. Highway Patrol said Rowland was driving her 2002 Cadillac near Dallas around 1:49 p.m. when the tree fell, smashing the windshield and crushing the car.
Storms moving across the state on Sunday brought heavy rain, flooding and some wind damage.
In Charlotte, fire department officials reported at least a half-dozen water rescues involving people trapped by flooding sparked by the storms late Sunday. Spokesman Rob Brisley reported several homes were evacuated because of the flooding.
N.C. Department of Transportation crews spent Monday assessing damages and working to open roads affected by the heavy rain.
The majority of the flooding occurred in the western Piedmont and western North Carolina. Many secondary roads in those areas were closed, but are expected to reopen when high waters recede.
The DOT said the heavy rain led to blocked culverts, small mudslides and debris washed onto roads. Some roads damaged by the flooding will be closed for repairs. The damage will be further assessed once the high water recedes.
Eastern North Carolina also experienced heavy rain and wind with isolated flooding, but no major problems were reported.