Rome Fire Quint 3 was initially dispatched to the area of Sunset Drive between Dean Avenue and Dodd Boulevard around 1:15 pm. Rome Police arrived first on the scene and found the car, a 90′s model Nissan Altima, fully engulfed in flames and sitting in a blocked off dirt road near the top of the hill on Sunset Drive.

Firefighters arrived a short time later and doused the flames, despite a small secondary explosion in the passenger compartment of the vehicle as they battled the fire, possibly from an aerosol can inside.

A witness who told RNW she was the one to first report the fire to 911 said that her and her father first saw a small fire inside the passenger compartment when they passed, and that by the time they had pulled over to report it, the fire had totally engulfed the car.

According to Rome Police Captain David Salmon, he could find no one in the area that claimed the car following the fire. Officers soon checked the tag and were able to make contact with the owners family, who knew nothing about how the vehicle had left its registered address on Spring Creek Street and ended up on Sunset Drive.

Rome Police were still investigating the blaze and clearing the scene at 8:00 pm, leaving Sunset Drive blocked. Police had also called Rome Police Arson Investigator Pete Sailors to the scene to assist.

Kingston Road Resident Darlene Chatman was standing in her backyard Friday afternoon speaking with NWGASWT members Hayden Jennings, Devin Womack, and Jennifer Womack as they toured the damage area on Chatman Hill along Kingston Highway, when she pointed out that the EF-1 Tornado that went right through her backyard knocked everything over on her back deck except for the dog house of her and her son’s Australian Blue Heeler named Blue. That’s when Hayden, Chatman’s nephew, realized why the dog house didn’t move: Blue was in it. Blue is around 5 years old, and Wednesday’s storm was not his first brush with severe weather. A few years ago, Blue was the subject of a RNW story after straight line winds hit the same area, and toppled one of the Bradford Pear trees lining the Chatman’s property directly onto his pen, and he came away unscathed. Wednesday, Blue was on the back deck outside as usual when the tornado struck, but was unshaken by the storm and 100 mph winds, as he was following Hayden around as he began helping residents and relaying reports to the rest of his team staged nearby. Blue again accompanied the team Friday on their damage survey of the area.

According to Chatman and her room mate Amy Lewis, they were at home along with Chatman’s husband Sheldon and Austin getting ready for bed when Amy heard a severe thunderstorm warning had been issued for a storm in the southern portion of Floyd County. It began thundering soon afterwards, but she noticed that it then became eerily quiet. Moments later, the wind suddenly picked up and she heard the distinct “freight train” noise and realized that a tornado was bearing down on their home. She yelled to everyone else to take cover, and they huddled in a bathroom until the storm passed. When they came outside afterwards, they walked into a dark and bleak disaster scene, with the storm still roaring, and screams for help heard in the distance. Darlene automatically reacted by calling her sister Delane and warning her, and that’s when Delane called her son and weather team captain Hayden, who was in the field chasing along with team members Devin Womack and Alan Locklear. There had been no warning for this storm.

The weather team, down one person in Car #1 Wednesday Night, had been perched atop Fouche Gap Wednesday Night watching the storms move into the area. When the southern most cell of the 2 storms entering Floyd County became sever warned, the chase was on. While Alan in Car #2 was in East Rome watching, Car#1 began following the storm on Blacks Bluff Road, even spotting briefly a wall cloud. As the chase entered the Boozeville area, Hayden got the call about Kingston Highway, and the chase was ended as the team rushed to help on Kingston Highway.

When the team arrived, Hayden grabbed the emergency gear the team carries and entered the scene on foot. Just 100 yards in, he found the house of storm victim Barbara Washington without a roof, spewing natural gas, and surrounded by debris and downed trees. After making sure everyone was out, Hayden made his way over to Darlene’s house to find that despite downed trees everywhere around it along with debris from the houses down the street, that it only sustained minor cosmetic damage. For the next three hours, Hayden was on scene helping and surveying, relaying reports to Devin and Alan who were staged a short distance away.

Chatman Hill as it is called, is an area in the 2000 block of Kingston Highway where members of the family live. In the area, Barbara Washington was the matriarch of the community. On any given weekend, you would find her house crowded with family members visiting and getting together for various occasions, anything from just family visiting, to cookouts in the summer. Washington was also a very religious woman, having attended church just a few hours before the storm struck. When news spread across the hill that she had been placed in an ambulance after she climbed from her damaged house, while everyone was still in a panic about the storm and damage, the worry over Barbara’s condition became more and more apparent. When news came that she had passed away, not only had the families along Kingston Highway been hit by disaster, but now by tragedy. On Friday, while the family had banded together and were busily repairing damage and cleaning up, the mood was still somber as the family mourned the death of Washington.

In the hours and days after the storm, the question began to arise about why there was no warning for this storm, and also for the West Rome tornado back in December. Many people were outraged about the storm, and began pointing fingers at the weather service, saying that their staff and meteorologist should be held to a high standard. What these people do not realize is that Meteorology is a science, and is one where there is still much to learn, specifically in the area of severe weather and tornadoes. One problem that hinders warnings for Rome and Floyd County is its location in reference to the surrounding regional radars. Rome lies in the middle between Huntsville, Birmingham, and Atlanta, which is where the National Weather Service has placed their radar sites. Because of this, Rome is in the area where these radars are higher in altitude, and the range begins make images a bit distorted. Because of the higher altitude of the radar beams when they get directly over Rome, it is hard for the radars to detect weaker tornadic activity which occurs in the lower areas of the storm cell.

With that said, despite these factors, Wednesday’s tornado spun up so quickly, that it was almost impossible to detect in the minutes before touchdown, by radar or even by one of the many trained weather spotters around Rome and Floyd County. The Weather Team had been monitoring that storm as it traveled from Sand Mountain in Alabama towards Rome. When it reached Collinsville, the team noted it on their web page  that the storm had strengthened significantly and had rotation. Butr, in the minutes after, the storm underwent a change that many storms undergo in that area, as it had to cross Lookout Mountain. When storms have to cross the mountain in that area, the terrain will weaken them, though many restrengthen when they get to Rome, as was the case Wednesday. The storm had weakened, but had extremely heavy rain as it passed over the team as car #1 left Fouche Gap. When it restrengthened over Rome, it almost instantaneously spawned the tornado as soon as it became tornadic, and was only on the ground for a short time as it traveled its winding and jumpy 3.25 mile path along Kingston Highway.

In its damage survey, the team found classic signs of tornado damage, but also found interesting details. The weather team in its encounters with tornadoes and their resulting damage have mainly had the chance to survey damage of medium to large tornadoes that are long lived and travel relatively straight. Wednesday’s tornado was small and unstable in its path. The tornado had a winding path, as evidenced on Chatman Hill, where it hit Freeman’s Store on the south side of the highway at Freeman Ferry Road, crossed the highway and hit the Washington Home traveling northeast, but then curving behind a neighboring house and the Chatman house before it moved southeast towards the highway where it again crossed it near Quail Hollow Mobile Home Community. The tornado also did not leave much evidence of its counter-clockwise spin as the team has seen in the past.

The events of both this week and December support forecasts that this spring will be an active storm season for the Southeast, as “Dixie Alley” still recovers from last severe weather season. To react to this, the NWGASWT has prepared itself more than ever so that the team can cover severe weather both from home and in the field. The biggest advancement the team has made is the addition of a new team member, Alan Locklear, to help support it’s operations. Alan, who is also from Rome, is a weather enthusiast and trained storm chaser. Alan’s duties will play a support role for the team. In times of local severe weather, the team will deploy Alan to the field where he can also chase and provide an extra set of trained eyes. In other circumstances, such as when the team participates in a long range regional chase, Alan will take over local severe weather coverage, issuing warnings and alerts. This not only allows the team out in the field to concentrate better on their storm chase, but also allows better local coverage for the team’s followers.

The team currently utilizes social media in its operations primarily at their Team Facebook Page, but have also added a team Twitter Page to help followers also.

The storm system Wednesday was being tracked by RNW Affiliate Northwest Georgia Severe Weather Team as it moved into the region in the evening hours. The team was in the field chasing around 10 pm when the damaged occurred. The storm struck an area along Kingston Highway from Wilshire Road and Sherwood Forest, all the way to The Rock Store and Morrison Campground Road. While Southern Floyd County had been placed under a Severe Thunderstorm Warning at the time, the damaged was from a different storm cell that did not have any warnings associated with it.

The storm at its greatest strength seemed to cross Kingston Highway at Freeman Ferry Road, where it destroyed a store before toppling trees and damaging structures.

According to members of the Chatman Family, there was a sudden calm in the storm, followed by damaging winds and a sound similar to a freight train. They were quickly able to take cover in an interior bathroom as the storm passed. According to Darlene Chatman, their home was spared with only minor cosmetic damage, a fact which she contributes to her late father and brother-in-law, who advised her how to reinforce her home when it was originally built. While the Chatman’s had much tree damage to deal with on their property, they do now possess the remnants of a gazebo, which was torn from its foundation in the neighbors yard and thrown 50 yards into theirs.

While other homes in the area, which all belong to the same family, were also spared with cosmetic damage, the storm destroyed one home in the area. According to family members, the resident of that home, a female in her 70′s, was at home when the storm struck, but suffered what they believe to be a heart attack. By the time weather team members arrived on the scene, the victim was being tended to by Floyd EMS, while natural gas still audibly spewed from within the home. Though they rushed the victim to Floyd Medical Center, she passed away at the hospital.

As of 3:00 AM Thursday, Floyd County Police had blocked the area off from traffic, and power was still out throughout the area.

Rome and Floyd County again stands an even greater chance of severe weather Thursday Evening from an advancing cold front.

Members of the NWGASWT plan to return to the scene Thursday to assist with cleanup and to perform a damage survey. Check back later for this additional coverage of these devastating  storms.

Freeman's Store, located at the corner of Kingston Highway at Freeman Ferry Road received major structural damage from a storm and possible tornado Wednesday Night.

Rome Fire Engines 3, 2, and 1 along with Rescue 1 and Car 25 were initally dispatched to a structure fire in the area of Callier Springs Road near Ashton Ridge Apartments around 8:00 pm. City Police Officers arrived first on the scene and found heavy smoke coming from a vacant log cabin structure in the 2500 block of Callier Springs Road. Rome firefighters arrived and quickly doused the blaze, but not before the house sustained moderate damage.

After extinguishing the blaze, firefighters requested investigators from both the Fire Marshal’s Office and Floyd County Police Department respond to investigate the suspicious circumstances of the blaze. The home, which witnesses advised had been vacant for around 2 weeks, sits in front of a vacant small wood framed home which has also fallen victim to suspicious fires 2 times in as many years.

Callier Springs Road between the City Limits and Ashton Ridge Apartments was blocked for about an hour as the fire scene operations and investigation was conducted.

Rome Fire Quint 3 and Rescue 1 along with Floyd EMS and Floyd County Police were dispatched around 8:20 am to reports of a motor vehicle accident with a rollover on Ga Route 101 at Chateau Drive. Police were first on the scene and found the truck heavily damaged and resting on its driver side down an embankment and in the ditch. They also found that the driver was out of the vehicle but had suffered a possible shoulder injury.

While Floyd County Police were still investigating the cause of the accident, it appears that the red Toyota Pickup truck was headed northbound when it left the left side of the roadway and rolled about 30 feet before coming to rest.

The accident left Rockmart Highway reduced to one lane for about 30 minutes.

A red Toyota Pickup truck rests on its side following a 1 vehicle accident Saturday morning

Debris is strewn across the shoulder of the roadway for about 30 feet indicating where the truck rolled.

Rome Fire Quint 3 and Rescue 1 along with Floyd County Police and Floyd EMS were initially dispatched around 2:30 am to the area of Callier Springs Road near the Joe Cleveland Training Center to reports of an overturned vehicle. Rome Police Officers who were in the area, which lies just outside the city limits, were first on scene and found the silver Dodge Ram 2500 Truck upside down in the ditch near Tumlin Drive. When officers approached the vehicle, they found it was unoccupied. As more emergency crews arrived, a thorough search of the area was conducted in case the driver was ejected, but no one was found.

The was moderately damaged in the wreck and was up righted and towed from the scene, considered an abandoned vehicle. A search by police found nothing but a large quantity of tools that had spilled from the truck. At the time of report, Floyd County Police were attempting to contact the truck’s registered owner and were still investigating the crash.

Firefighters, Police Officers, and EMS Personnel check an overturned truck on Callier Springs Road for occupants.

Police look through the contents that spilled out of an abandoned truck following a crash in East Rome

The damage to a Dodge Ram Pickup Truck after it crashed and rolled over in East Rome Saturday Morning

Emergency personnel originally were dispatched just before 8:00 pm to a home on Livingston Road to reports of a male and female down with gun shot wounds. According to radio reports, a teenager was at the home at the time of the shooting and possibly witnessed the crime before calling 911 and going to a neighbors house for safety.  Police along with a state probation officer who was nearby were on the scene within minutes and cleared the scene for firefighters and EMS Personnel to enter. Subsequent radio traffic indicated that a male victim was still alive when firefighters entered the scene, but that a female was deceased at the location. Reports also indicated that the teen was unharmed at the neighbors house.

As of 8:10 pm, Floyd County Police were on the scene beginning their investigation, and had also called investigators including an evidence technician to the scene.

Rome Fire Engine 10, Quint 3, Engine 2, and Car 25 were initially dispatched to reports of smoke coming from the mobile home at the end of Miami Drive around 5:30 pm. As firefighters raced to the rural location, an additional call to 911 reported that flames were then visible coming from the structure, and that everyone was out of the home. Engine 10 arrived first on the scene to find that the mobile home was fully engulfed in flames, and that an additional nearby mobile home was in danger of catching fire, prompting them to begin a defensive operation. A nearby fire hydrant allowed firefighters to quickly gain a water supply and knockdown the flames, but not before it had completely leveled all but a third of the trailer.

The cause of the fire was undetermined at the time of post, and an investigator from the Rome Fire Marshal’s Office had been summoned to the scene.

Several residents first reported to both Floyd County 911 and to RNW that a sound of an explosion was heard around 5:20 pm in the area of Bethel Church Road, Old Rockmart Road, and Brice Station Road. The explosion was described as a very deep sounding boom. After the calls to 911, Fire Engine 10 was dispatched to the areato check. As they were still en route to the area, RNW Staff in the area reported hearing an additional boom, that this time was enough to shake houses in the area. The second boom was followed by about 5 gunshots.

Firefighters rode the area checking for around 15 minutes and talked to several residents who reported hearing nothing. While firefighters did find a light haze in the 1100 block of Bethel Church Road, they found it was coming from a fire yesterday and was unrelated to today’s call.

Witnesses of the noises speculate that it may have been caused by aircraft in the area that created a sonic boom upon breaking the sound barrier.