Strong winds cause large tree to fall and destroy vehicle in north Fresno

Strong winds and heavy rains passed through the Fresno area early Saturday evening with Hurricane Hilary causing havoc all along the West Coast.

Perhaps the most significant damage in Fresno occurred when a large tree fell and crushed the top of a car.

A call came in 6:13 p.m. of a tree falling when the winds picked up near the intersection of Maroa and Bullard avenues, just across the street from St. Anthony of Padua church.

The tree, which was about 50 feet tall, appeared to get uprooted and crushed the vehicle rooftop of a Ford Focus that was being driven by a woman on Bullard Avenue.

Fresno Police said the woman was able to avoid serious injury despite the roof of her vehicle getting smashed in.

She exited the vehicle prior to the arrival of firefighters and sustained abrasion to the forehead. She was treated at the scene and released.

No one else was injured from the tree fall.

It was not immediately known if the woman’s vehicle was in motion or stopped on the street at the time that the tree fell.

The intersection of Maroa and Bullard avenues was shut down as emergency crews attended to the situation and tried to clear the area.