CA Redwood Falls And Kills Parents, Leaving 5 Children Behind

CALIFORNIA — Two people were killed in Northern California last week after a towering redwood tree toppled onto their car, according to the California Highway Patrol.

Jessica and Jake Woodruff were on their annual road trip up the California coast for Jessica's 45th birthday, according to a GoFundMe effort launched over the weekend. The couple is survived by five children.

As of Tuesday, the couple's fundraiser had raised more than $210,495.

"This was a shocking and unexpected event, and the tragedy of this accident makes it difficult to accept as real," according to the fundraiser. "These 5 children are now left without parents and are facing a lifetime of expenses."

The accident happened Thursday on Highway 199 in Del Norte, near Crescent City. The two were traveling southbound when a large redwood tree fell directly on top of the 2016 Honda, crushing the passenger compartment, CHP said in a statement.

Both suffered fatal injuries, CHP said.

It remains unknown just why the tree fell into the roadway as some reports detail that it was not a windy day. The incident was still under investigation, the CHP said.

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