Wet Weather Blamed for Bringing Down Giant Oak Tree in San Jose

A San Jose family is giving credit to good timing after a change in plans helped them avoid a giant oak tree that fell into their home.

Chris Richman returned to his home in the city's Rose Garden neighborhood a little bit early from work Friday night and noticed the nearly 70-year-old oak tree in his front yard appeared to be tilting.

"So I moved our cars out and told my wife and daughter to kinda get to the back of the house," Richman said.

Just as he was going to tell his neighbor the tree didn't look too good, he "heard a crack and the whole thing fell over."

The giant tree skimmed the house, pulling down the front gutters and smashing through a front window.

"That entire huge tree fell over and only about 2 feet of it actually went into the house," Richman said.

The emergency tree trimmer sent to cut back the limbs said he's never seen anything like it.

Richman said the rain is likely to blame.

"The trees are soaking up a lot of water, and it makes them top heavy," he said. "It was a healthy tree as far as we knew."

Richman said his family, and their close-knit neighbors are sad to lose the beautiful tree, but he's also thankful he made it home in the nick of time.

"All things considered, pretty lucky."

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