Woman escapes with only minor injuries when tree falls downtown
Published Wednesday, March 19
By Brant Sappington
Staff Writer
A woman escaped with only minor injuries after a massive oak tree crashed into her car and several others outside the Corinth Library Tuesday afternoon.
The tree, which had stood at near the corner of the library's parking lot on Fillmore Street, fell suddenly around 3 p.m. and landed across several cars sitting in the parking lot, briefly trapping a local woman inside her vehicle.
Corinth Police Officer Lane Fowler said Jeanette Franks suffered only minor scratches after being helped from the car by rescuers. Her granddaughter, Lynette Franks, was also in the car and escaped without injury.
Thomas Hardin of Tishomingo County had just entered the library when he heard the sound of the tree crashing and rushed back out to find a large limb across the roof and windshield of his car.
"A tree jumped out and bit my car," he said with a bemused expression on his face.
He said his first thought upon seeing the damage was of his insurance. "I was hoping somebody had insurance, because all I have is liability," he said.
Maverene Rickman was inside her daughter, Sherry Dalton's, house when the enormous oak fell at the corner of the home's front yard.
"I thought something had fallen, but didn't think it was a tree," she said. Rickman said she was thankful no one was hurt and that the tree hadn't landed on the home.
A large crowd of onlookers quickly gathered at the scene to get a look at the unusual sight as workers from the Corinth Street Department and the Alcorn County Electric Power Association worked to clear the debris. Workers remained on the scene for several hours cleaning up the damage.

Return home