Storm-toppled tree crushes Saluda man’s pickup, cars

Clarke Gray of Saluda planned to travel in his pickup truck down to the Outer Banks and go fishing on Triangle Wrecks fishing grounds in the Atlantic Ocean on Monday. Instead, he had a “triangle wreck” in his yard and no truck to drive.

On Sunday afternoon a storm came through the Saluda/Glenns/Urbanna/Cooks Corner areas dropping a much needed half-inch to an inch of rain on crops and gardens. The storm also brought strong winds that blew over trees and dropped limbs in the area.

A giant tree fell on top of Gray’s three vehicles, destroying one and leaving the other two damaged. Gray lives in Saluda on U.S. Route 17 Business between Hardee’s fast food restaurant and the Saluda Post Office. “I usually keep my truck further out towards the road but I had gotten everything ready to go fishing and just left it up close to my house,” said Gray on Monday.

“We heard the storm, but honestly did not connect the tree falling with the sound,” he said. “We didn’t know it had happened until a deputy sheriff knocked on the door to make sure everyone was all right.”

The tree fell on two cars and a truck, which were parked just feet from his house and an outbuilding. “We were lucky it didn’t land on us, but it has left us without any transportation,” said Gray.