The 37-year-old encountered the live wire near Craig Avenue as severe weather moved through southeast Charlotte.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. — A 37-year-old woman died after coming into contact with a downed power line during a severe storm in southeast Charlotte, according to officials and local news reports.
The electrocution was reported at about 7:30 p.m. July 7 near Craig Avenue and Sharon Amity Road. Strong storms had moved through the area and knocked down an electrical line, creating a dangerous scene near homes along the street. Authorities had not publicly identified the woman as of the latest reports.
Neighbor Scott Mallonee told WBTV that he heard several popping sounds outside his home as the storm passed. When he went outside, he saw that a power line had broken and caught fire. Mallonee said he later found the woman on the ground and alerted firefighters who were arriving in the area.
Emergency responders pronounced the woman dead at the scene, according to WBTV. Officials initially said the precise sequence of events leading to the electrocution remained unclear. Video reviewed by the television station appeared to show a person moving toward the area where the electrical line had fallen shortly before the recording ended.
A separate security recording obtained by WBTV appeared to show the woman accidentally encountering the live line while walking along the street. Authorities had not released an independent, detailed account explaining why she was in the area or whether she saw the damaged line before the contact occurred.
Mallonee said the power pole was burning when he first looked outside. He went across the street to check on neighbors and noticed the woman as a fire truck approached. He described the discovery as deeply upsetting and said the incident remained on his mind after the storm had passed.
The woman’s name was withheld in the reports reviewed for this article. Officials also had not released additional information about where she lived, why she was walking on Craig Avenue or whether anyone else was injured during the storm. No criminal activity was reported in connection with her death.
The incident occurred during severe weather that damaged electrical equipment in the Charlotte area. Downed lines can remain energized even when they appear inactive, and electricity can move through nearby objects or wet ground. The circumstances surrounding this line’s failure had not been publicly detailed.
Investigators had not announced whether the death would lead to a separate review by the utility company or another government agency. Information about the line’s maintenance history, the timing of any outage report and when crews secured the scene was not available in the reports reviewed.
The woman’s identity and any additional investigative findings remained pending as of Tuesday. Local officials had not announced further fatalities connected to the incident near Craig Avenue.
Author note: Last updated July 14, 2026.