Storm Spotter Called 911 About EF4 Tornado Before It Hit I-30
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ROCKWALL (CBSDFW.COM) - Driving in his trusty SUV, with his wife Lynette by his side, warning lights flashing, Laszlo Laky dialed three digits that made all the difference during the recent storm.
"It's fixing to cross I-30. It's fixing to cross I-30. We need to shut traffic down on I-30," said Laszlo during a 911 called he made on Saturday.
As a storm spotter for the National Weather Service, Laky pushed emotion aside and alerted 911 operators of the massive twister spinning near Garland, Rowlett and Rockwall.
"It came up so quickly. From the time the warning went out, until we pulled over and saw was probably less than five minutes," said Laky.
As an EF-4 tornado swept through the area, a sense of helplessness took over while he was on the phone.
"I kept thinking, I should have stopped the freeway, I should have stopped the freeway," said Laky.
Just a few miles away from where Laszlo was spotting on I-30, investigators said 8 people lost their lives in incidents all involving car wrecks.
"I wish the people on the freeway would have stopped," said Laky. "And that breaks my heart."
Laky and his wife only hope those who were not impacted by the storm take notice and listen carefully next time there is a tornado warning.
"You have to realize you can't save everybody," said Laky. "You can save who you can save, you do your best and the rest is in God's hands."
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