Family of man killed by fallen tree in Big Sur sues state

BIG SUR, Calif. (KION) An Alameda County woman has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the State after a fallen tree in Big Sur killed her husband.

Court documents say Atsuko Tohman and Genji Tohman were camping at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park on October 5, 2020 when parts of a large Western Sycamore tree came crashing down onto the couple.

Genji was seated at a picnic table when the document states he was struck in the head and body by pieces of the tree resulting in his death. Atsuko was injured in the incident.

Now Atsuko and other family members are suing the state for allegedly allowing the tree to be left in dangerous enough condition to result in the tree's partial collapse.

The lawsuit claims this particular tree that collapsed had a "long history of limb failure as evidenced by at least one old weathered limb stump."

The charges filed include wrongful death and personal injury due to dangerous condition of public property

Tohman family members are also demanding a jury trial in this civil case.