Strong winds topple evergeen tree in Ruston yard, crushing three cars
Anthony Guerra walked out his front door at 10:30 p.m. Friday to a sight no homeowner wants to see.
The big tree in his Ruston yard that once towered over his house had split, falling on top of three cars parked in his driveway.
The culprit? Last night’s strong winds, he said.
The National Weather Service issued a wind advisory Friday night for the Puget Sound region that lasted until 3 a.m.
Peak wind gusts near this area reached 44 miles per hour, according to NWS Meteorologist Logan Howard. At 11 p.m., an even stronger gust at 51 mph was recorded on the other side of the city near the Narrows.
The wind gusts are expected to decrease in intensity this weekend, then pick up again Monday as an atmospheric river arrives in Pierce County, Howard said.
For Guerra, the situation is a lesson learned. The tree took out two of his personal vehicles and his work truck. It also damaged his neighbor’s garage.
He recommends that people with trees in their yard vulnerable to wind gusts check their insurance polices. His insurance covers removing branches from the tree but only up to one truck load, he said. Whatever’s left will be his responsibility, which he fortunately has the equipment to handle as someone in the construction industry.
“You never think that’s going to happen to you,” he said. “If you see trees moving and high winds, don’t park underneath them.”
This story was originally published December 6, 2025 at 10:48 AM.
