A 95th birthday party in Olive Branch went from sweet to scary in seconds when powerful Fourth of July winds snapped trees at Olive Branch City Park and sent one crashing into a parked pickup. A mother and her 13-year-old daughter were sitting inside the truck when a large tree punched through the cab. Both escaped with cuts and bruises, and the family says the birthday boy himself, seated under a nearby pavilion, was never touched by falling limbs.
Tree impaled the truck, family says
Stephanie Jones told reporters a tree essentially "impaled" her vehicle, spearing through the truck and shattering the windshield near the front passenger seat, according to WREG. She credited a small twist of fate for keeping things from turning tragic, saying her daughter Chloe had leaned over toward her in the driver's seat just before impact, putting her out of the tree's direct path.
Jones and Chloe were treated for cuts and bruises, and relatives had to pry open a jammed door to get them out of the mangled truck, WREG reports. Somewhere in the chaos, the family birthday cake was also destroyed, a small loss compared with what might have happened.
Storms knocked down trees across the Mid-South
The wreck at Olive Branch City Park was just one of several close calls as a line of strong storms barreled across the Mid-South over the holiday weekend. In Collierville, crews were called out to clear a fallen tree that blocked streets, according to WMC Action News 5.
Preliminary severe-weather logs show the system packed a punch, with multiple wind and hail reports across Mississippi and neighboring states on July 4, underscoring how intense the storms were, per NOAA/Storm Prediction Center data.
Relatives call it a miracle
For the family, the close call feels like something more than luck. Relative Veronica Shipp told WREG they "nearly lost loved ones" and said they thank God no one was seriously hurt.
Shipp said a cousin snapped photos of the storm damage, and another relative who has had back surgeries still helped muscle the truck door open to free Jones and Chloe, according to WREG. Through it all, the 95-year-old grandfather remained safely seated under the pavilion, unharmed by the crashing trees around him.
Park closed while crews clear debris
City officials temporarily shut down Olive Branch City Park so crews could clear broken limbs and debris, and they urged drivers to steer clear of blocked streets while cleanup continues, as reported by AOL. The city said no injuries among park visitors had been reported.
Park staff are assessing damage before reopening. Officials are also reminding residents to stay away from downed trees and to report any hazards to local authorities, according to AOL.
