300-year-old oak branch crushes vehicles in California

PLEASANT HILL, Calif. – Sections of a massive oak tree estimated to be at least 300 years old crashed down and damaged seven parked cars in a San Francisco Bay Area city.

Residents in Pleasant Hill, California, are now asking who’s responsible for the damage.

KGO-TV reports Thursday that overnight, a giant limb snapped off the oak, which the city had named “Emma” and declared a heritage tree.

Homeowner Ashley Cudd said the tree’s protected status meant she couldn’t chop it down and needed approval to trim it, which was granted once but denied several times.

Pleasant Hill city official Mike Nielsen said the tree belongs to the homeowners and damage is their responsibility. He says the homeowners can now remove the tree since it’s an emergency but will have to pay for it.