Authorities today publicly identified an 84-year-old motorist who was killed when a large tree toppled onto his minivan as he was driving along a rural road in Fallbrook.
George Bamber of Fallbrook was behind the wheel of the 2007 Toyota Siena that was crushed by the roughly 80-foot-tall oak in the 2200 block of Willow Glen Road shortly before 8:30 a.m. Monday, according to the California Highway Patrol and the county Medical Examiner's Office. He died at the scene.
It was not immediately clear if the tree fell due to weather conditions or for some other reason, CHP public-affairs Officer Jim Bettencourt said. Crews had to use chainsaws to cut it apart so it could be hauled off the crumpled vehicle.
