More flooding, storm damage
* Ocoee River over banks, Copperhill flooding * Flooding reported in Fannin County, Ga. * Deadly storm system scatters damage across the South
Local weather
WRCB reports a Flood Watch continues across all of north Georgia until 7 p.m. Friday. See today’s forecast here.
A 22-year-old Dayton man died Thursday morning after driving into a ravine on state Highway 30, the Tennessee Highway Patrol said.
Dakota E. Howard was traveling east on Highway 30 around 3:25 a.m. when he drove into a ravine that opened after heavy rainfall washed away an area bridge, patrolmen said. Forecasters say to expect more stormy weather across the state today through Monday.
As the 2011 Nissan drifted downstream, Howard drowned while trying to escape the rushing water. His passenger, 22-year-old Dustin Smith, was injured but survived the crash.
Patrolmen said Howard and Smith had been drinking. Neither wore seat belts during the accident, but patrolmen said the safety restraints wouldn’t have made a difference.
There are no criminal charges at this time. Howard’s family and the Medical Examiner’s Office have been notified, patrolmen said.