Large Tree Falls onto Hwy. 101, Striking a Sign and Two Cars

A large eucalyptus tree fell from the steep hillside above Hwy. 101 southbound near Sausalito Thursday morning, striking an electronic sign and two cars on its way down and backing up the morning commute well past Mill Valley.

Although the tree struck the cars of a Mill Valley man and a San Anselmo woman, neither driver was injured, according to the California Highway Patrol officer Andrew Barclay.

The tree fell from the hillside west of Hwy. 101 southbound just south of the Spencer Ave. exit at approximately 7:20 a.m., Barclay said. As the tree fell, it hit an electronic message sign and then kept falling into the lanes of traffic.  

The tree hit a black Honda Fit being driven by 70-year-old Anthony Contini in the far right lane, causing major damage to the Honda, Barclay said. Contini's car spun out of control before stopping in the right shoulder of the road facing in the opposite direction, he said.

The tree also hit a gold Toyota Camry being driven by 47-year-old Ellyn McCaffrey of San Anselmo in the lane second from the left. The tree shattered McCaffrey's windshield and caused major damage to the right side of the Toyota, Barclay said, causing her car to block all lanes except for the far right lane.Emergency personnel from the Marin Area CHP, Southern Marin Fire, and Golden Gate Bridge Patrol went to the scene and found that both drivers had escaped injury.  

Because of the size of the tree, a tow truck was unable to drag it out of the lanes and onto the right shoulder, according to Barclay. Southern Marin Fire personnel used one of their chainsaws to cut the large tree into smaller pieces so all emergency personnel on scene could hand carry them to the right shoulder, he said.The three lanes of southbound Hwy. 101 were closed from 7:20 a.m. to 8:10 a.m., Barclay said, causing traffic to back up more than six miles to Paradise Drive in Corte Madera. Barclay said that Caltrans was notified of the incident and will be responsible for investigating the hillside.