A couple from Yreka, California died Thursday after a giant redwood tree fell on their vehicle, the California Highway Patrol said. The 36-year-old man and 45-year-old female traveling south on Highway 199 when the incident occurred.
The tree uprooted and fell in Del Norte County, a region known for its massive redwoods, and then collapsed onto the vehicle of Jessica and Jake Woodruff.
On a Birthday Road Trip, Parents Jessica and Jake Woodruff Were Crushed by a Redwood Tree in Del Norte County, California in ‘Most Unusual Incident.’
“It’s the most unusual incident I’ve seen in my 19-year career,” said Brandy Gonzalez, a public information officer with the CHP in Crescent City.
Gonzalez explained that the tree uprooted likely “due to Mother Nature,” Nexstar reports.
“We’re very prone to Mother Nature in this area,” she said. “We do have trees come across lanes sometimes, and we think, luckily it didn’t hurt anybody.”
“The timing in this case was just crazy.”
A GoFundMe campaign identified the two victims as Jessica and Jake Woodruff, parents of five children. The fundraising page says the couple were “on an annual trip up the coast for Jessica’s 45th birthday. Leaving behind their children, Megan, Evan, Casey, Allie, and Chelsea.”
“This was a shocking and unexpected event, and the tragedy of this accident makes it difficult to accept as real,” the GoFundMe page reads.
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“Those of you who know this family, know how tight-knit they are, and their lives will forever be changed,” the page continued.
As of Tuesday, $183,246 had been raised of the $500,000 goal.