An 80-year-old man from North Carolina tragically lost his life in a harrowing incident. The North Carolina Highway Patrol reported that around 12:20 a.m. on Tuesday, they received a call about a vehicle submerged in water on state Route 211 in Brunswick County. The elderly man had disregarded a roadblock and drove into the high water.
The unfortunate event occurred during severe flooding in the region. Carolina Beach, located in a neighboring county, experienced an unprecedented amount of rainfall, with over 18 inches in just 12 hours and almost 21 inches in total. Meteorologists from the National Weather Service office in Wilmington described this level of rainfall as a once-in-a-millennium event.
According to the highway patrol’s news release, sheriff’s vehicles had been stationed on the road with their lights flashing to warn drivers of the impassable flooded area. Despite these warnings, the man from Southport, identified as Richard Walton Robinson, proceeded to drive around the vehicles and into the high water. His Subaru Crosstrek was completely submerged, and despite efforts from a swift water rescue team, they were unable to locate the vehicle.
Authorities later found Robinson’s vehicle with him inside, deceased. The highway patrol mentioned that neither alcohol nor speed seemed to have played a role in the incident. It has not been confirmed whether his death was a direct result of the storm.
The aftermath of the flash flooding led to the closure of numerous roads in Brunswick County, located at the southeastern tip of North Carolina. Many roads were either washed out or damaged due to the extreme weather conditions.