Driver killed when tree falls on vehicle in Canton Township
A West Virginia man was killed during a severe storm Wednesday afternoon when a tree fell onto a car he was driving on Jefferson Avenue in Canton Township.
The vehicle was traveling west near 2994 Jefferson Avenue about 2:20 p.m. when the tree fell, killing Floyd Gregory Stephen, 53, of Follansbee, according to a news release from Washington County Coroner Tim Warco.
A passenger in the vehicle, who was transported to Washington Hospital for treatment, did not suffer major injuries in the accident and was able to “walk to the ambulance,” according to Canton Township Fire Department Assistant Chief Chuck LaBella.
The passenger said a tree on the opposite side of Jefferson Avenue began to fall as the car passed and landed on the vehicle, according to Warco.
“It was a pretty large tree, and it just fell right over the roof of the car,” LaBella said.
Another motorist reported the accident to Washington County 911, the coroner’s release said.
Ambulance and Chair EMS responded to the scene in addition to crews from Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, Warco said.
The cause of Stephen’s death is pending an autopsy.
State police are investigating.