Tarboro mother recounts close call as storm brings tree down on her parking spot

TARBORO, N.C. (WTVD) -- Edgecombe County suffered through some tornado warnings earlier Monday, and though there wasn't major damage, one mother had a very close call.

"Kind of scared," said Chyna Warren.

Warren had just pulled up to her house with her two young daughters in her backseat when she noticed debris in the air around her.

"I just seen the swimming pools flying, the flowerpots, trash cans, and it was like a poof of wind," Warren said. "It just came through while I was sitting in my vehicle with my kids."

Just by chance, she hadn't pulled all the way up to her normal parking spot next to her home yet - and that may have saved her life.

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That strong gust of wind knocked down her neighbor's tree right where her car should have been.

"I'm just glad me and my kids are safe, because, like I said, I usually park my vehicle here," she said. "So, I'm just thankful because it could have been worse.

No one was hurt, and the home wasn't damaged inside. But there is certainly a lot of clean up ahead, and it caused quite the scare for Warren and her daughters.

"I was just shocked," she said. "I wasn't expecting it to be this bad."

Warren said she had her phone with her and was closely watching the weather warnings, and she got that tornado warning right as she pulled in.

The Edgecombe County Sheriff's Office also said that deputies responded to the Southern Terrace area of Princeville after the Tornado Warning to find some downed trees and power lines, but no reported property damage.

More rain is expected Tuesday, with a Flood Watch for the entire viewing area.