Nicholas Tilton was walking toward his Chevy Tahoe. "I'm sure glad I've got about three-quarters of a tank of gas," he said.
The Army sergeant was at a Chevron Station on Moon Road in Columbus where one vehicle after another pulled in, saw there was no gas, and made for the exit without stopping.
"A co-worker told me that he was driving on I-85 and stopped at four places looking for gas. It's really terrible. It surprises me," said Tilton.
What was happening at the Moon Road station was similar to the scene at several stations around the area; a Circle K on Veterans Parkway had empty tanks, as did one on U.S. 80 in Phenix City. The latter ran out early Monday.
Some stations still had some gas but were out of particular grades. Some only had diesel. The Citgo on U.S. 80, for example, still had regular unleaded Monday afternoon but was out of premium.
There were reports that a few stores shut down temporarily.