AVENTURA, FLA. (WSVN) - - As South Florida drivers who experienced car trouble this week deal with the aftermath of the massive rain event that flooded roadways across the region, Aventura Mall has taken steps to find a place for the dozens of vehicles that stalled out.
Some drivers remained stuck in the floodwaters of South Florida after they misjudged their car’s ability to plow through high water.
At Aventura Mall, so many cars were left behind after getting stuck in the floodwaters that a parking lot was turned into a graveyard for disabled vehicles.
Over 100 cars were still parked Friday parking yard. All had a different story and a different journey through this week’s storms.
One of the motorists expressing regrets for choosing to drive through standing water was 68-year-old Sam Cemaj.
“Pissed off and regretting my decision of driving that day,” he said.
Cemaj said he exercised bad judgment.
“I exercised bad judgment. If there is a warning, just stay home,” he said.
He said the floodwaters almost reached the handle of the driver door.
Cemaj, who moved to South Florida from Nebraska, said he was driving back home to Aventura from Fort Lauderdale when his car got stuck in the flood.
“I misjudged the depth of the last part of the road, and the car got flooded,” he said. “It became inoperable, and I had to walk a mile with water up to my waist.”
Cemaj said he had no choice but to leave his stranded car in the middle of the flooded roadway, joining others who were forced to do the same.
Prestige Towing, contracted by Miami-Dade County, picked up many of those cars and brought them to one of two tow yards outside of Aventura Mall.
Those towed cars cost victims $150 to pick them back up, unless they wait to see whether or noy insurance will cover the costs.
Daren Conway said his wife called him after she and their 8-year-old daughter found themselves in the middle of standing water.
“[She was] panicking. ‘Babe, the water’s getting higher, the water’s getting higher, what do I do?'” said Conway.
Conway said his wife was driving their Range Rover in Aventura with their daughter in the backseat when the situation turned intense.
“It got to the point where she was engulfed, so she had to abandon the car,” he said. “My daughter and her had to walk through the rest of the water.”
Conway said it was a traumatic experience for his young daughter.
“She’s 8, and so, she’s a little petrified as well, you know?” he said. “You’re in a car, and you start seeing it fill up with water. It’s one of those moments that you’ll probably never forget.”
Luckily for Conway, he was able to get a rental car and is working with his insurance to figure out what’s next for his vehicle.
But for Cemaj, he has a different perspective on the matter. He said he regrets moving to Florida.
“People are [expletive]. They are not nice. They are not cordial. They drive like crazy,” he said.
Prestige Towing told 7News that if a car was abandoned in the streets and towed, it’s either on the northwest side of the mall, another lot on the other side of the mall or their actual business in North Miami.
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