San Diego man was outside own home when falling branches killed him Christmas Eve

2 months ago 1

The man who was struck and killed by part of a falling tree Tuesday in City Heights amid powerful winds that swept into San Diego on Christmas Eve was identified Thursday as 61-year-old Roberto Ruiz Salmeron, according to the county Medical Examiner’s Office.

The tree split into several large pieces around 10:55 a.m., and one of those sections fell and struck Ruiz while he was standing on the sidewalk adjacent to his home near the corner of Marlborough Avenue and Wightman Street, according to the Medical Examiner’s Office and San Diego Fire-Rescue Capt. Jason Shanley.

Firefighters who were called to the scene were told the victim was trapped under the tree branches and his family unsuccessfully tried to free him, Shanley said Tuesday. Fire crews and police officers were able to pull him out and provide medical aid, but he died at the scene.

The Medical Examiner’s Office listed Ruiz’s time of death as 11:14 a.m., about 20 minutes after he was struck by the falling branches. The office did not provide Ruiz’s cause of death.