Amidst recent strong winds in Southern California, a 34-year-old woman was found dead in her car after it was hit by a falling tree on Oct. 15.
The incident happened in the 14400 block of Red Hill Avenue, Tustin. The Orange County Fire Authority sent a rescue team to the scene around 9:15 a.m. and later pronounced the woman as deceased.
The victim, Dennet Bermas, was a resident living at the apartment complex where the accident happened, according to the Orange County Sheriff’s Department.
“I saw the lady close her door and lock it. I said, ‘Good morning, have a good day.’ And before I got to my house, I heard the tree snap and I turned around and watched it fall,” said Danny McCabe in the interview.
“I started ripping tree branches up, trying to get to her,” Danny McCabe told KTLA, “And then I was like, ‘Ma’am? Can you hear me?' And I shook her arm, there was no movement. I checked her pulse in her wrist, there was nothing. I check her pulse in her throat, and there was nothing.”
The National Weather Service (NWS) issued red flag warnings as strong Santa Ana winds hit Southern California on Monday. NWS reported wind gusts reaching speeds of 42 miles per hour around 9 a.m. in Tustin.
The Orange County Sheriff’s Department said the official cause of death is still under investigation, however the high winds were a likely cause.
Southern California Edison was also called to the scene to deal with downed power lines. Orange County Fire Authority Capt. Tony Bommarito identified the falling tree as a eucalyptus tree, which is very large, heavy, and solid. He also noted that wires were “down all over Tustin and Santa Ana” due to the winds.
The incident is the first casualty resulting from the recent Santa Ana winds.
