Spring and summer storms leave 60- to 80-year-old Cottonwood weak to fall on runner’s vehicle

Dallas – More than a month after several spring and summer storms, a runner was sitting in his vehicle at Norbuck Park near White Rock Lake when he heard a cracking sound. His instinct to exit probably saved his life.

Dallas estimates more than 700 trees were severely damaged due to the many storms. The tree that fell on the leg of Alfonso Gonzalez, Jr. and crushed his vehicle, was potentially one of the affected trees.

Gonzalez stopped at his car to hydrate after he finishing running 14 miles with his friends on Saturday morning.

After hearing a crackling sound that got louder and louder, Gonzalez peeked his head out his car window to see a huge Cottonwood tree falling toward his car.

He escaped just moments before the tree was halfway down. A friend and stranger pulled Gonzalez from under the branches that had pinned him down.

Gonzalez had purchased his (now totaled) Volkswagen Tiguan only about ten days before the accident.