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Finger Pointing Begins after Storm Cripples Atlanta

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Thousands of cars remain stranded on highways in Atlanta Thursday after a rare snow and ice storm swept through the Gulf Coast and the South. Now, the dig out has begun.

The storm, which caught many off guard, dropped just two inches of snow in Atlanta but it was enough to bring the city to a screeching halt.

Crashes, some deadly, blocked roads and highways, leaving cars jammed for miles with no way out. Many frustrated drivers were stranded for almost 24 hours.

"I was on ice and it just kept slipping and I thought I was going to tumble over," one Atlanta driver said.

"I just have the engine running and the heat going and [I'm] surfing Facebook," another motorist said.

One mother-to-be, stuck miles from the hospital, gave birth on I-285 to a baby girl named Grace.

Meanwhile, some say officials should have been better prepared for the storm.

"I've been on the road for 16 hours," one disgruntled driver said. "Someone needs to be held accountable."

Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal admitted mistakes were made, saying, "We all have some lessons we need to learn here."

But not all the misery was on the roads. More than 4,000 flights were delayed across the country. And hundreds of children in Alabama were trapped at schools for a second night as road conditions made it too dangerous for them to leave.

"I want to go home," one child said.

Meanwhile, the National Guard has been called in to help stranded motorists.

"You always want to make sure kids are taken care of," Georgia National Guard Capt. Darryl Griffing said. "We'll put them in the Humvee just so they can warm up."

Good Samaritans have also been lending a helping hand.

"Handing out drinks and helping people get moving. Four-wheel drive makes it a lot easier, just kind of clearing up jams," good Samaritan Byron Berry said.

"At first I thought he was charging for them. I said, 'What do you got?' He said, 'I got Coke, water, 7-Up.' I said, 'How much?' He said, 'Free!' I said, 'I'll take one,'" one stranded motorist recounted.

Schools and businesses across the South remain closed Thursday because of the dangerous road conditions.

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About The Author

Charlene Aaron
Charlene
Aaron

Charlene Aaron serves as a general assignment reporter, news anchor, co-host of The 700 Club, co-host of 700 Club Interactive, and co-host of The Prayerlink on the CBN News Channel. She covers various social issues, such as abortion, gender identity, race relations, and more. Before joining CBN News in 2003, she was a personal letter writer for Dr. Pat Robertson. Charlene attended Old Dominion University and Elizabeth City State University. She is an ordained minister and pastor’s wife. She lives in Smithfield, VA, with her husband.