Too Close

"I put on the brakes, just barely," Jenny Cunibertti said to me after her close call during yesterday's windy afternoon.  She was driving east on 6th street and her two passengers shouted out a warning when they saw a tree falling in their path; Cunibertti was able to stop her Toyota in time. The tree landed near the bottom of her windshield, cracking it, and bouncing the car back slightly.  The tree's sharp edge almost elbowed the middle of her windshield.

"I heard the tree begin to snap," said one eyewitness having lunch nearby. " and then I heard tires squeal. Then there was this thud." Cunibertti was sent to a hospital to check for injuries, and returned later wearing a neck brace.

As yesterday's mighty winds reached up to 50 miles an hour causing damage all over Los Angeles, only one person from L.A.'s Tree Services was able to come to clear the downed tree that covered all 4 lanes of 6th street. With traffic backing up, and getting impatient,  LAPD officer Steve Nichols and Carlina Ortiz lent a hand moving large branches off to the side so traffic could resume in two of the lanes.

As expected, this and other downed trees, fallen power lines, major accidents, power outages from the windstorms were covered all afternoon. High winds are expected today, so drive safe, and check your brakes.

Photos: Tree Services takes a look at how to get a car out from under the 6th street tree. / Officer Nichols tosses branches off to the side. / Officer Ortiz gets more info from Cunibertti as two co-workers who arrived to help listen in. In the background, Spanish program "AlarmaTV" works at getting their angle. / Another POV of tree on the hood.