Wind storm topples trees and shuts down highways

Richelle Santoya watches the surveillance video of the terrifying few minutes from Wednesday morning’s storm.

“I hear cracking, and then all of a sudden I see this big branch fall onto the roof over here,” Santoya tells KION.

But that branch was nothing compared to what came next. She was outside as branches were swaying, and saw her co-worker drive right under the huge tree in front of their office – Monterey County Friday Night Live on Gabilan Street.

“(I screamed) ”get out.’ So she pulled into the parking lot behind you, and a few seconds later the big branch fell,” Santoya said.

The enter scene was caught on camera, missing their office by just a few inches, as well as missing everyone who was standing outside at the time.

Santoya says “we were very lucky, and thankful that we didn’t get hurt.”

Toppling trees was the theme for this storm in Monterey County. Wind knocked one down onto a road sign near the Monterey Airport on Highway 68. Crews had to deal with live wires and prevent another tree from coming down next to it.

By mid-day there were already dozens of trees blocking Highway 1 south of Carmel-By-The-Sea. Traffic was shut down for about two hours in the morning when a tree collapsed onto a car near Point Lobos.

But this storm came with a shining moment. Carmel area resident Larry came to the rescue of Maria Diaz, proving a needed spark.

“My battery went dead so this gentleman helped me out,” Diaz tells KION.

Larry was just on his way towards home, and humble about his little act of heroism.

“I’m not doing anything else, so no problem,” he said.