Crime & Safety
Large Tree Crashes Into Home on Nelson Road
Woman who was home escaped unharmed as 100-foot tree splits her house.
The storm that pounded the area Thursday caused a 100-foot Douglas fir tree to come crashing down into a home on Nelson Road, according to the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office.
“It went straight through the house, right down the middle, and cut it in half,” said April Skalland, public information officer for the sheriff’s office.
The incident happened at around 10 a.m. in an unincorporated area of the Santa Cruz Mountains near Scotts Valley. A woman who was home at the time was not hurt, and no other injuries were reported.
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The home at 480 Nelson Rd. is about a half mile from a massive landslide that occurred on Monday. The slide at 1165 Nelson Road made the road impassable and has left 33 homes isolated in the mountains.
Skalland said that with the rain continuing, she is unsure of when the tree will be removed. Rain is also delaying public works officials from clearing the landslide.
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“It’s just so messy out there right now,” she said. “Nelson Road is like a river. There is just so much water coming down.”
Another storm system is expected to arrive Friday night, bringing more rain and wind.
This story will be updated.
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