Overview

• On June 4, a giant oak tree suddenly toppled onto Humberto Montoya’s truck while he and his son Ysander sought shade on South Railroad Avenue in San Mateo.
• Four-year-old Ysander suffered a broken leg that will require surgery and his father also sustained injuries in the collapse.
• Nearby construction workers and San Mateo Fire Department crews used heavy machinery to extricate the victims and transport them to a hospital.
• A local nursery owner had reported the tree’s raised concrete roots to city officials before the accident and an arborist noted that poorly rooted trees can become unstable.
• The family’s GoFundMe page, launched to cover medical bills, lost income and vehicle replacement, has garnered nearly $2,000 to date.