Charlotte woman killed by downed power line as neighbor speaks out
A 37-year-old woman was electrocuted and killed on Tuesday, July 7, after Charlotte weather storms snapped a live power line near Craig Avenue and Sharon Amity Road in southeast Charlotte. Neighbor Scott Mallonee, who found her body, is urging residents to stay away from fallen wires as investigators review security footage of the fatal contact.
Key Takeaways
- A 37-year-old woman died around 7:30 p.m. Tuesday after a storm-downed line failed near Craig Avenue and Sharon Amity Road.
- Neighbor Scott Mallonee found the victim; his security camera appears to show her accidentally touching the live wire while walking.
- Nearly 3,000 southeast Charlotte households lost power during the same storm window, Duke Energy reported.
- Charlotte Fire officials say every fallen line should be treated as deadly — stay back and call 911.
- Duke Energy restored power on the street late Tuesday and pledged to work with authorities on the investigation.
What happened during the Charlotte weather storms on July 7?
Strong storms rolled through Charlotte on Tuesday evening, knocking down utility infrastructure across the southeast side of the city. Officials said the woman was electrocuted around 7:30 p.m. off Craig Avenue near Sharon Amity Road.
Neighbor Scott Mallonee told WBTV he heard several popping sounds outside his Craig Avenue home. When he looked outside, he saw a power pole on fire and a line on the ground, split in two and burning.
Paramedics pronounced the unidentified 37-year-old dead at the scene. Her name had not been released at the time of reporting.
Who found the victim and what did the neighbor say?
Mallonee went outside to film the downed line, then crossed the street to check on neighbors. As fire trucks approached, he turned back and found the woman's body near his feet — a sight he said he had walked past moments earlier.
Security camera footage from Mallonee's driveway appears to show the woman accidentally coming into contact with the live wire while walking down the street, WBTV reported.
Mallonee said he nearly touched the energized line himself and is grateful to be alive. "I'm still processing it. It's still on my mind a couple times an hour," he told the station.
How widespread were power outages across southeast Charlotte?
The fatal incident arrived amid a broader disruption from the same storm burst. Duke Energy reported several outage clusters around 7:30 p.m. in the Oakhurst and Cotswold areas, affecting nearly 3,000 households, according to Queen City News via Yahoo.
Officials attributed the outages to objects striking power lines. Duke Energy estimated about 2,600 customers would have power back by 10:30 p.m., with a smaller Randolph Road cluster restored by 11:45 p.m.
Duke Energy restored electricity on Craig Avenue late Tuesday night. The utility said in a statement: "Our hearts go out to the family and loved ones of the individual involved in this incident. We will continue to work with local authorities to investigate the situation."
Residents tracking ongoing severe-weather coverage can follow updates in our Streaming & TV Alerts section as new storm and safety bulletins break.
What should you do if you see a downed power line?
Division Chief Timothy Brown of the Charlotte Fire Department warned that every fallen line should be treated as deadly. "Stay away from a power line. Stay away from it. Call 911," he told WBTV.
Brown noted that fallen lines carry direct current that can lock onto a person. "If you touch a power line you will not physically be able to let it go," he said.
Duke Energy directs customers to assume any downed wire is energized, report outages, and give repair crews space to work safely.