Ann Arbor woman injures knee after tree branch falls on her in storm
A branch from this tree fell on an Ann Arbor woman during Tuesday night's storm and sent her to the hospital.
John Counts | AnnArbor.com
A 61-year-old woman was hospitalized with a mild concussion and a knee injury after dodging a falling tree branch in her west side Ann Arbor neighborhood during Tuesday evening's storm.
The woman and her 63-year-old husband, both of whom did not want to be named, were walking their cockapoo in the 400 block of Glendale Drive near Charlton Avenue around 5:30 p.m. when they were caught unawares by a downpour, the husband told AnnArbor.com.
It wasn't raining when the couple left their home in the 500 block of Glendale to walk the dog about 10 minutes earlier, the man said.
But by the time they reached Charlton down the block, however, the storm was blowing in. It was pouring so hard, the couple sought out umbrellas from a neighbor, the husband said.
The woman ran ahead of her husband and the cockapoo in an attempt to get home and out of the rain as quickly as possible. She was headed south on Glendale when a branch from a tree was ripped from the trunk and fell on her, he said.
Kristen Salla lives in the home next to the tree. She said she could hear the branch falling on the vehicle parked in her driveway.
"We saw the wind and the rain come through and then heard this huge crack," Salla said. "I looked out and saw the tree fall on our car. I ran to the door and heard this really high-pitched screaming."
Meanwhile, the woman's husband was rounding the corner with the cockapoo when he saw his wife on the ground.
Salla ran out to help and found the woman lying on her back behind the car on the sidewalk under the branch, which she described as "huge" and probably about "two feet in diameter." The branch was suspended on the vehicle.
"She was saying, 'Call an ambulance,' " Salla said.
The woman's husband said the branch fell on her, but may not have directly hit her, adding that the mild concussion and twisted knee were likely sustained from the fall.
The woman was taken to the University of Michigan Hospital for the knee injury.
Joyce Williams with Huron Valley Ambulance confirmed paramedics were called to the block and took a patient to the hospital in unstable condition at 5:30 p.m.
The husband said Wednesday morning his wife was still in the hospital with a tibial plateau fracture in the left knee. She was expected to be released in a day or so, but full recovery could take weeks, he said.
The husband stopped by Salla's house Wednesday morning to give her an update on his wife's condition and thank her for the help.
"All the neighbors have been really nice," he told AnnArbor.com. "It's a really nice and caring neighborhood."
John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
dexterreader
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 11:57 a.m.
A fellow employee spotted a wall cloud just before the storm hit to the south of Ann Arbor. I think I would've gotten out of the elements at that point.
a2citizen
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 1:16 a.m.
Was the cockapoo on a leash?
Randy M
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 9:53 p.m.
Why would you ask that?
talker
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 1:07 a.m.
When someone doesn't want to be identified in public arenas, such as annarbor.com, why was her breed of dog listed along with the location of the falling branch. The location of the falling branch doesn't necessarily identify the person, but by listing a dog breed, people in that area are likely to know the person's identity. Also, the breed of the dog (or even the information that a dog was with the person) wasn't necessary for reporting that a branch fell on a woman and injured her.
Randy M
Tue, Aug 6, 2013 : 9:56 p.m.
Wasn't a dog-walk the reason why the couple was outside just before the storm hit? Isn't that relevant? But what's your point -- are you concerned that the reporter might reveal the couple's identity?
actionjackson
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 9:40 p.m.
I have been trying for over a year to get the city to remove a dead Maple on my extension. Branches have broken my windshield and damaged the hood of my truck. A large branch fell right on the sidewalk where it was fortunate that no one was under it. A lot of people walk our sidewalk in all weather.
jns131
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 8:54 p.m.
After seeing those clouds come rolling in? I would not be walking my dog anywhere. Need to pay more attention to the skies folks. Glad the tree didn't do more damage then a knee injury. I was on top of the whole thing. Loved every minute of the storm.
nickcarraweigh
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 8:02 p.m.
So a neighbor loaned them umbrellas before sending them back out to risk their lives in a raging, killer storm? Is that even legal?
Ricardo Queso
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 10:24 a.m.
That's why you need to have that $1million umbrella policy.
An Arborigine
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 10:36 p.m.
As long as they weren't black assault umbrellas!
Linda Peck
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:49 p.m.
The City will send people out to cut dead branches or remove dead trees if you call them and let them know of the danger. It may take a couple of calls and it may take a couple of years, but it does happen.
Indymama
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 2:18 a.m.
But it shouldn't take a couple of years!!!...not even a couple of calls. A responsive City would take the first call, write up an order for the Forestry Dept. The Forestry Dept. should notify the homeowner (or person who called) as to when they will schedule the work to be done.....cut the dead branches or entire tree. It should NOT take two years!!
Fred Pettit
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:33 p.m.
The city needs to do more to trim trees on a regular schedule instead of waiting for the homeowner to request it. I'm surprised (thank goodness) more people aren't hurt or that more cars aren't damaged by falling limbs. Hopefully the city takes care of these trees before there is a fatality.
Nicholas Urfe
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:24 p.m.
"The woman ran ahead of her husband and the cockapoo in an attempt to get home and out of the rain as quickly as possible." Rain does not hurt you. Panic hurts you.
A2momma1
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 6:59 p.m.
"two feet in diameter"?
justcurious
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 10:36 p.m.
Really, 2' in circumference...not even....
Eep
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:27 p.m.
And the Pulitzer Prize for most uses of the word "cockapoo" in an online news article goes to: John Counts!
John Counts
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:42 p.m.
Thank you. Thank you very much. (Humble bow)
TheDiagSquirrel
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:16 p.m.
Did a tree branch fall on your keyboard when you were typing this? C'mon, proofread, it's not that hard :)
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:07 p.m.
trying to correlate the picture with Google street view (because I'm so busy) using the speed bump and the tree across the street as a reference the tree in question seems to be owned by "we the people" and seems to have less than full foliage at the time of the Google-mobile drove by. Which raises a couple questions 1. who is responsible for dead branches on the city tree in front of my house? The tree right across from the city sidewalk I'm responsible for. Does a city owned tree in ill health fall on me like the sidewalk does?
amlive
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:09 p.m.
Go on google maps street view and look for the dead tree by the speed bump. That's the one - mostly dead aside from a branch or two left with leaves in a photo taken several years ago. Should have been taken down by the city long ago.
Craig Lounsbury
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:09 p.m.
I was remiss in not offering prayers for a full recovery for the injured woman.
Linda Peck
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4:25 p.m.
I hope she recovers quickly and completely. I have walked in this neighborhood many times and it is very nice, very nice families, neighbors.
Ricardo Queso
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 4 p.m.
Tragic when limbs suffer injuries in a storm.
Ricardo Queso
Thu, Jul 11, 2013 : 2:37 a.m.
Not making fun of the victim, just the King's English.
An Arborigine
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 10:32 p.m.
Outcomes are unpredictable when trees attack!
jns131
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 8:56 p.m.
The tree had a broken limb and so did the woman. Ricardo makes perfect sense to me. A limb for a limb. Knock on wood.
TryingToBeObjective
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 7:22 p.m.
Are you trying to make fun of the victim, or make a joke out of the accident? Sad. Hoping the woman heals quickly and fully. Glad her neighbor was here to help so quickly.
JB SHOOTER
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:57 p.m.
Maybe the city ought to get away from Sugar Maples? Most of the ones in my neighborhood have a lot of dead wood up there. A couple of them have the green dots as well, but no chop chop so far.
amlive
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 5:39 p.m.
Sure you're not confusing sugar maples with silver maples? Sugar maples are a durable hardy tree, and it's rare that I see them with large fallen or high risk branches. Silver maples on the other hand are junk wood. When they get to any decent size their branches will start dropping if a bird lands on them. Looks to me like this was likely a silver maple in the photo. Silver maples and cottonwoods are nothing but hazards scattered all around this town. I can't imagine why anyone would ever intentionally plant either, much less a city that knows what a liability they will inevitably become when full grown. Chop 'em all down I say, and plant with 30-50+ years in the future in mind.
Bertha Venation
Wed, Jul 10, 2013 : 3:56 p.m.
That's why I enjoy living on the West Side. Good folks who are not afraid to get involved and help their neighbors.