‘Freak accident result of nature’ | Oak tree crushes truck in Putnam County, killing two men
EATONTON, Ga. — Two Georgia men were killed and two others injured early Friday morning when a large oak tree toppled onto a pickup truck during the aftermath of severe overnight storms in Putnam County.
According to Putnam County Sheriff Howard Sills, the accident occurred around 6:15 a.m. on Pea Ridge Road, approximately 100 yards from U.S. Highway 441.
Authorities said a large oak tree was uprooted and fell across the roadway, landing directly on the cab of a 2023 Toyota Tacoma carrying four men from Ellabell, Georgia.
“The tree just suddenly came down and crushed the entire top of the cab,” Sills said. “The two passengers in the back seat were killed almost instantly.”
The victims were identified as Logan Deal, 24, and Jakob Tapley, 25. Both were pronounced dead at the scene.
Putnam County Coroner Hollis Harrison said the tree caused catastrophic damage to the truck.
The driver and front-seat passenger were able to escape the vehicle on their own and were transported to a hospital in Macon as a precaution. Their injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.
Officials said the four men had been staying at a short-term rental property on nearby Lake Sinclair.
The accident followed a night of heavy rain and severe weather that prompted thunderstorm and tornado warnings throughout the area. Although no tornadoes have been confirmed in Putnam County, Sills said the saturated ground likely contributed to trees becoming unstable and uprooting.
“It’s really a freak accident caused by the forces of nature,” Sills said. “The tree wasn’t rotten. It was a healthy oak. Oak trees tend to have relatively shallow root systems, and with enough rain and wind, even healthy trees can come down.”
Investigators have classified the incident as a weather-related accident.
Elsewhere across the county, crews spent much of Friday clearing fallen trees, branches, and storm debris from roads and residential properties.
Just a short distance from the crash site, local resident Carlus Little was helping clean up his cousin’s yard after the storms.
“Just cleaning up the yard and getting all these limbs out of here,” Little said. “It was pretty scary not knowing where the storm was going to hit, but we’re thankful everybody in our family made it through safely.”
Emergency responders and road crews worked quickly to secure the scene and remove debris from the roadway Friday morning.
Authorities continue to urge motorists to use caution while traveling in areas affected by storm damage.
About Post Author
You must be logged in to post a comment.