Campbell County woman finds car submerged in river days after flooding

SEVIER CO., Tenn. (WVLT) - Days after flood waters forced the evacuation of more than 400 people from the Greenbrier Campgrounds, the search for cars continued.

Tina Goddard from Campbell County was at the campsite with her family who came up from Florida, when the flood waters badly damaged their cars.

One family member was having their car towed from the campsite, while another had already had their car taken out of the water.

As this is all happening, Goddard was walking and driving along the Little Pigeon River, looking for her car when they saw it from the side of the road. From the campsite, it had floated down the river for more than two miles.

“I can’t believe it went that far I’m shocked nothing stopped it with the big trees and big rocks in the way,” Goddard said.

A staff member at the Greenbrier Campground said they saw at least 10 cars get towed out of the site.

Goddard could only watch as a towing company dropped the car off to her.

“It’s making me sick,” said Goddard as she thought about the memories of driving with her family and friends, now seeing her car completely destroyed.

Even with an engine destroyed, a roof and steering wheel missing, and a massive rock lodged inside the wheel, Goddard was able to find her lunchbox and umbrella in the trunk.

“It’s juts a car,” said Goddard as she’s thankful nobody in her family was injured or trapped at all during the flooding.

Copyright 2022 WVLT. All rights reserved.