Woman impaled by falling, wind-blown branch

[Tr33Climb3r]

Lake Villa emergency personnel work to secure a driver impaled by a tree limb after the branch fell on the car at Grand Avenue and Deep Lake Road. (Joe Shuman/for the Tribune)

A Lake Villa woman was injured this morning after a dead tree branch fell about 65 to 70 feet, crashed through the windshield of a car and impaled the female driver, police said.

The incident happened near the intersection of Grand Avenue and Deep Lake Road in Lindenhurst about 7:30 a.m., police said.

Lindenhurst Police Cmdr. Kevin Klahs said the 41-year-old woman was driving her Smart car eastbound on Grand Avenue when wind caused the branch to fall.

The branch impaled the woman in her abdomen but did not go through her body, Klauhs said. He also said the woman was conscious and breathing after the incident.

She was taken to Condell Medical Center in Libertyville where she was undergoing surgery, but her condition was not known.

He said it took emergency crews about 20 minutes to extricate her from the heavily damaged vehicle.

http://www.chicagobreakingnews.com/2010/...ack=CTiphoneapp

 

[easyphloem]

"Smart" car? It's high time we reevaluate the notion that we must protect the environment and all buy Hummers.

Hope she recovers quickly and warns others of the danger of leaving deadwood in trees.

SZ

 

[southsoundtree]

Dang, that sucks. An innocent bystander, so to speak.

Smart Car is not surely not liking it either.

 

[Norm_Hall]

Damn, that's about 20 minutes North of me. I just drive thru that intersection on Sunday afternoon (2 days ago).

 

[nuthin_special]

Truly a freak accident.

 

[cerviarborist]

I attended a tree risk assessment seminar presented by a couple Ph.D.'s from Bartlett, a couple weeks ago. One of them pointed out that most non-professional people who get injured by trees, are injured while driving their cars.. either a struck-by, like this woman, or by running into downed trees on the road.

 

[sean_freeman]

""Smart" car? It's high time we reevaluate the notion that we must protect the environment and all buy Hummers"

A truely smart car would have avoided this incident, surely some claim against the manufacturer could be launched.

I hope she recovers at a comfortable pace and warns others of the dangers of stopping at traffic lights.

 

[Treespotter]

I read the article once more and I noticed that the lady that first arrived has a nice name. One every arborist would be jealous of.

I hope the lady in the car recovers without any problems.

 

[Eric_E]

[ QUOTE ]
I attended a tree risk assessment seminar presented by a couple Ph.D.'s from Bartlett, a couple weeks ago. One of them pointed out that most non-professional people who get injured by trees, are injured while driving their cars.. either a struck-by, like this woman, or by running into downed trees on the road.

[/ QUOTE ]

What about the professional people?? Just wondering.

 

[classictruckman]

usually struckbys too, but from rigging something into themselves or dropping something onto somebody.