Michael topples trees, crushing houses and knocking out power

Oct. 13--Tropical Storm Michael ripped across Davidson County Thursday leaving behind damage. Downed trees and power lines, several traffic accidents and thousands without power were reported across the area.

For one family, the damaging cost of Michael became apparent after a large tree fell on their home, splitting it in two Thursday afternoon.

Homeowners Johnny and Lori Marshall, who live on Will Johnson Road in the Hasty community, spent most of Friday morning collecting belongings from their home and calling utility companies, tree removal companies and their insurance agency.

At about 2:45 p.m. on Thursday as Michael was dumping heavy rain and strong winds over the county, Lori was home alone. Her dog, she said, was spooked all afternoon and she knew something wasn't right. Mere minutes after the power cut out, a large tree from the front yard toppled onto the house, cracking through the roof and falling across their living room and foyer.

"It's sickening," Lori said.

Later that evening, the homeowners' insurance agency sent out a representative to look at the damage, According to Johnny, the agency told them their home may be a total loss. The couple was also told it would probably be a week until an adjuster could come out to look at the property as there were so many claims being filed due to storm damage across the state.

Despite the immense damage, which includes the fallen tree, insulation and ceiling tiles scattered around their home and soaking wet carpets, the family has remained positive. According to the Marshalls' daughter, Brooke, the family was blessed that neither her mother nor her son, who typically spends each day at his grandparents' house, were in the living room when the tree fell.

"He usually sits on the couch watching TV or playing on his tablet right there," Brooke said.

"That little red couch, that's where he sits," she described of a small piece of furniture that is now buried under the tree and a pile of loose ceiling tiles.

Lori also said she was thankful that the power had cut off before the tree fell so she was not concerned about electrical fires sparking.

"It was a blessing, God knew what he was doing," Lori said.

Lori said the tree was always a concern for her during the past 25 years the couple has lived in the home.

"Everyone always said it was fine. I always worried about it," she said.

Brooke echoed that message saying that her family often hid in the bathroom during powerful storms when she was a child because of her mother's concern about the tree.

Amidst the rubble of their living room stood one beacon of hope: a tall grandfather clock, sequestered in the corner, entirely untouched by the damage. According to Brooke, this clock is a family memento that will one day be passed on to the next generation.

"Those are the two things my dad always said he would pass on to me and my brother, so he's really glad those things are fine," she said.

The Marshalls are not the only family to see damage from Michael. Homes across the county saw damage ranging from small tree limbs scattered on yards to heavy trees falling on homes and cars.

Downed trees and power lines also shut down several roads in the county. As of 10 a.m. Friday, East Holly Grove Road near Embler Road, Old Mountain Road near Lake Drive No. 4 and N.C. Highway 47 near Frank Road were closed due to debris, downed trees and power lines in the roadway. These roads were not expected to open until at least Friday afternoon or Saturday morning.

Later Friday, Old Salisbury Road near Haden Grove Church Road, Mt. Vernon Church Road near Rex Road, Rex Road near State Route 1708, Old Greensboro Road near Midway School Road, City Lake Road at Ridge Road, Greensboro Street near Ridge Road, Ward Curry Road near East Old Highway 64, and Cid Road near N.C. Highway 109 were shut down for downed trees and power lines.

According to a rainfall gauge at the Davidson County Airport, the county saw about two and a half inches fall Thursday, though high winds and, at times, heavy downpours made the rainfall seem much more significant. AccuWeather did report higher rainfall amounts on the northern end of the county, closer to three to four inches.

The heavy rainfall raised the Yadkin River to 24.1 feet as of Friday at 2 p.m. The river is predicted to crest at 28.7 feet around 8 a.m. Saturday morning. Homeowners along the river should keep a careful watch on rising water levels as homes are at risk once the river reaches 26 feet.

Horseshoe Neck Road near Broadway Road and Sowers Road near Brown Road were shut down by the North Carolina Department of Transportation on Thursday as the Yadkin started rising. These roads were not expected to open until late Sunday night.

Utility crews are also advising homeowners to be patient as crews work to repair power outages. Even after crews worked through the night, more than 18,000 customers in Davidson County were without power Friday morning at 10 a.m.

Duke Energy reported 9,305 customers without power at that time. Shawna Berger, a spokeswoman for the company, said crews were still completing damage assessments for many outage sites, which can take 24 hours or more to complete. Additional repair crews from other states are headed to the area as well, she said.

"Though you may not see a lot of crew movement now, please know they are out there," Berger said.

EnergyUnited also reported 8,979 customers without power Friday morning. County residents had reported on social media that crews were estimating repairs to take several days, and company representatives confirmed that Friday.

According to spokeswoman Maureen Moore, accurate estimated restoration times could not be provided as the damage was so widespread and each outage requires unique attention.

"At this point in time, we cannot give an estimated restoration time. It could be a couple days yet, we just don't know," Moore said.

EnergyUnited is also bringing crews from out of state to assist with repairs.

The only energy provider to make a significant amount of repairs overnight was Lexington Utilities, which reported more than 1,500 outages by the end of Thursday. By noon on Friday, that number had been reduced to 150 customers without power.

Utility companies remind customers to avoid areas with sagging or downed power lines, treat all wires as live and use caution until repairs are completed.

For continued updates on power restoration times, consult with your utility provider.

Other roads closed by the state Department of Transportation include N.C. Highway 109 near Robbins Road, N.C. Highway 8 near Linwood-Southmont Road, Hampton Road near Muddy Creek Road and Old Mill Farm Road near Reedy Creek Baptist Church Road. Consult the agency's website for latest road closures and to plan your route until repairs are completed. Impacts to traffic will be high until the repairs are completed, possibly as late as next Friday.

These locations mark 21 total road closures in Davidson County caused by weather events, four of which were caused by Hurricane Florence.

Elizabeth Pattman can be reached at (336) 249-3981, ext. 213, or at epattman@the-dispatch.com. Follow Elizabeth on Twitter: @LexDispatchEP

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