MILTON, Ky. — The National Weather Service (NWS) has extended the path of Thursday’s tornado, which traveled for 18.3 miles. Earlier reports showed the tornado traveled a little more than 17 miles. According to the NWS, the storm caused two injuries.
Dan Boatman has been driving trucks for several years but never in a tornado until last week.
“You couldn't even see the windshield; there was so much debris and water blowing," Boatman said. "It was just hitting that side of the truck, and it (sounded) like I was at a concert."
"It was loud; it was roaring."
While the tornado was over him, he was on the phone with his mother. Boatman said he could barely hear himself, but he knew if he hung up it would’ve worried her more.
“Debris would hit, and it (would) go, 'boom' ... I mean, it was just shaking all over the place," he said.
Boatman said when the tornado hit on one side of the truck, a barn blew up. On the other side of the truck, a telephone pole fell and hit the back of the truck.
“If I were to stop 10 (feet) shorter, that telephone pole would hit the cab of the truck,” he said.
Not only was it his first time in a tornado, but it was also his first time hauling logs.
“I’ve hauled pontoon boats and grain," he said. "I haul grain a lot, in a dump trailer. But this is the first load with logs, and this happened. I wonder if that's a sign."
As he looked at the damage on the truck, he said it was a scary experience, but it could have been worse.
“I know for a fact if I would have had my truck with a sleeper or a different trailer that had sides on it, it would have blowed over,” Boatman said.
Boatman is already back to hauling logs. He said the next time there is a chance of a tornado, he isn’t leaving the house.