Rain and wind storm leaves damage on Central Coast

Multiple rounds of wind and rain slammed in to the Central Coast this week.

“Vehicles aren’t going to handle the same way they do on dry pavement. They are not going to
stop as quick. They are not going to turn as good,” Officer Steve Tanguay, of California Highway Patrol, said.

On the winding roads of Santa Cruz County, there were nine crashes Tuesday, and 15 before noon on Wednesday. Highway 17 was a major culprit.

“We did staff a little higher towards Highway 17. Just because of the sheer number of calls we
usually get up there in inclement weather,” Tanguay says.

Then, there was the scene in Felton. The wind and rain uprooted a massive tree, which slammed into the parking lot and roof of San Lorenzo Valley Elementary School. There were no injuries.

“We sent a message quickly out to parents. Ms (Jennifer) Lahey did that so they would know everyone is safe,” Laurie Bruton,Superintendent of the San Lorenzo Valley Unified School District, said.

An estimated six staff cars were damaged, some of them were stuck underneath the tree. The multi-purpose building had roof and window damage, and is expected to be closed for the next couple of days. The tree caused the building to shake so violently, Principal Lahey thought this was a different type of natural disaster.

“We got up to do our earthquake procedures. And they I saw that a tree came down. And it
really came down,” Jennifer Lahey, Principal at San Lorenzo Valley Elementary School, said.

But the day started with a crash in Watsonville, just before 8 a.m. The driver was exiting Highway 1 on to the 129 off-ramp, veered right, over-corrected, then flipped. The Oakland resident was helicoptered out with serious injuries.

Law enforcement is urging drivers to take it slow in the wet conditions. As for flooding concerns, Officer Tanguay says the rivers in Santa Cruz County are expected to stay in their bank, Wednesday night.