Atlanta (CNN) — Angelina Madut knew driving home from her overnight shift at a suburban Atlanta bakery was a risk.
The warnings about Helene’s potential to flood neighborhoods and topple trees had been in play for hours. But like anyone who couldn’t take the financial hit of missing a day of work because of the storm, Madut got in her car.
She had to get home from work.
At the same time early Friday, a news crew had set up in the city’s Buckhead neighborhood – not far from Peachtree Creek – to report on whatever damage Helene had in store.
As Madut navigated before dawn into the city – and onto that same street – she didn’t realize how much water had pooled in front of her on the road.
Soon, her car lost traction.
And then, it started to float.
She called her husband, Ernest.
“You need to, if you can, reverse the car,” her …