Tree falls, crashes onto car in Buena Park amid strong winds
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Strong, gusting winds knocked down a tree on a residential street in the Buena Park neighborhood Thursday afternoon.
As CBS 2's Marissa Perlman reported, the tree crushed a Ford Mustang when it was brought down by 40 to 50 mph winds in the 800 block of West Hutchinson Street during the midday hours. Thankfully, no one was inside the car.
A High Wind Warning was in effect until 7 p.m. Thursday, and it proved itself when that tree fell. The tree, which was on private property, blew right off its roots – crushing a fence and landing on the Mustang, which was parked on the street.
The car was towed away late Thursday. The owner said he was just thankful that neither he nor anyone else was hurt.
Neighbors snapped photos immediately after the tree came down.
We are told the tree was an older dead tree that was planted in the front yard of the house years ago. It was so big as it fell that it blocked the street.
The car's roof and front windows were smashed – yet the car was still drivable, believe it or not.
We met the owner of the car at the scene.
"This is the first time I'm seeing it," said owner Evan Dodson.
He said it was a shock to see it in person – and he didn't know what happened until a friend sent him a photo of his own car on social media.
When he saw his car wrecked, Dodson said, "Why me?"
"But what can you do?" Dodson went on. "It's a windy day, and parking in the street, it's a risk you take."
Michael Tajer was nearby when the tree fell.
"I parked, and then I started to drive away, and as I was starting to drive this direction, all of a sudden, the tree just came down – so I was probably 75 feet away," Tajer said.
Neighbors told us trees are falling more frequently in the neighborhood. A house across the street on Hutchinson had a tree blow right into its roof around this same time last year.
Thankfully in that case, everyone was OK too.
The strong winds on Thursday also brought down power lines and roofs, and at least two light poles also fell amid the gusts. Power outages were also reported throughout the area.