RUTHERFORD COUNTY, Tenn. — Here in the South, we've all driven in thunderstorms and heavy rain.
It’s not fun.
But a woman’s close encounter with lightning during recent severe weather here in Middle Tennessee this past week takes it to the next level.
"The moment it happened it was like something out of a movie. It popped so loud. I feel lucky. It freaked me out."
Amanda Johnston was driving home on I-840 to Smyrna last week when her family called her.
"They were like, 'Be careful coming home. It is storming really bad here.' I said, 'Okay' and I started coming into it."
The traffic slowed considerably, and it started looking pretty bad, so Johnston shot some video of the thunder clouds rolling in.
Then suddenly there was a bright flash. She was temporarily blinded and the engine just stopped.
"My car died... [I had] just enough power to get off to the side of the road. It would not start or anything."
Johnson called 9-1-1 and firefighters determined a lightning bolt hit just inches from the front of her SUV.
Her vehicle was towed and the mechanic had bad news.
"It is completely fried... totaled. Everything electrical fried in the car."
The good news is that she did not get fried.
Rattled, yes. Electrocuted, no.
"I did not feel shock, but my hair did stand up and I did have an interruption in my spine stimulator in my back."
She was very lucky this was not a direct hit.
As it was, the SUV's metal frame acted as a shield and the electricity was channeled into the ground.
But the electromagnetic pulse did fry her engine
In case you're wondering, yes — her comprehensive insurance did cover her for the lightning strike.
Do you have more information about this story? You can email me at nick.beres@newschannel5.com
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