A severe thunderstorm moved through downtown Lexington Friday night, downing numerous trees and power lines and leaving large swaths of Rockbridge County without power.
A tree fell across South Main Street near Oak Grove Cemetery, smashing the windows out of a truck parked outside White Rhino MMA & BJJ. Luckily, no one was inside the vehicle. Police blocked off the street Friday night and it was unclear when the tree would be removed.
Lexington Prescription Center owner Jeff Goldstein said he was driving down South Main Street when he heard the tree snap behind him.
"There was a car behind me, I heard a crack and a tree went down," Goldstein said. That tree didn't appear to have damaged any other vehicles.
Another massive tree was entirely uprooted at Oak Grove Cemetery and fell across historic gravestones.
On Nelson Street, traffic lights went dark after fierce winds whipped through town, leaving the streets littered with debris.
Ann Fuller, who lived in Florida for 30 years, told the News-Gazette on Facebook that she and her husband were having dinner at The Palms when the storm hit.
"It looked like a tropical storm moving through," Fuller wrote. "Our drive home looked like the aftermath of a Category 1 hurricane. We know what that looks like."
Near the Lexington Municipal Pool, neighbors said they heard a transformer explode after heavy wind and rain. Homes in the area were without power.
"I saw the really heavy swirling winds and the standing water. The lights started flickering around 6 p.m.," Brandon Johnson said. "We've been out since then."
More than 3,000 Dominion Energy customers were without power as of 8 p.m. Crews estimated that it might be overnight before power is restored.
It's unclear if anyone was injured or any homes or businesses were damaged.
We're working to learn more about this developing story.
