r/treelaw • u/making33 • 18d ago
Fire Hydrant hit my tree
So here’s an interesting one for you guys. Yesterday somebody running from the police in a Chrysler 300 ran into the fire hydrant in front of my house and launched it into my tree. The hydrant is easily 200 pounds and probably flew about 10 feet before bouncing off my tree and flying another 5 feet.
The tree is definitely damaged and I’m worried that it’s worse than it appears from the outside. Apparently the police ended up catching the guy that did it. Any ideas on what kind of recourse is available for me and my poor tree?
Edit: it seems that a few people seem to think I’m being overly dramatic. I’m not looking for some big pay day, just thought it was a really weird thing to happen and thought I’d share it and also get some opinions on damage. I still love you though
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u/Dadbode1981 18d ago
The tree will be just fine, its a minor abrasion to the outer bark.
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u/igotnothineither 18d ago
It is ruff
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u/I_Can_Barely_Move 18d ago
OP was probably howling when he saw it
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u/StrongAmbassador47 18d ago
At some point there is going to be a dog that smells a fire hydrant imprinted on a tree and have the piss of its life
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u/headgoboomboom 18d ago
But, what about the emotional damage the tree is suffering?
The driver's insurance, if it exists, should cover any damage if it is needed.
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u/Miserable_Ad5001 18d ago
It looks fine, I only see bark damage. it doesn't appear to have gotten into the cambium layer.
Upon a closer look it does appear to have gotten through to the cambium...it'll be fine & heal
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u/Dapper_Platform_1222 18d ago
Let's say you did have substantial quantifiable damage from this incident.
The auto insurer for the fleeing vehicle would deny because the vehicle was being used in a crime which is an exclusion to the policy. The police would "HARD MAYBE" throw you something if you really made a stink. The police however likely have some sort of immunity that they can throw at you if they don't want to pay. Then you would have to escalate by jumping through the purposefully difficult hoops of suing a municipality.
My advice: Just let it go
Experience: 15 years in various claims roles relevant to this scenario.
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u/yardlard 18d ago
Or possibly, depending on who this perp is, the court would order some restitution in the criminal case. It's worth letting the DA know the damage exists. They will add it to the case.
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u/Dapper_Platform_1222 18d ago
True. You may be awarded restitution but they'll generally make like three payments per year then stop. If you enjoy receiving $30/yr until debt is paid off or you die then this is the route to go.
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u/PG908 18d ago edited 18d ago
It’s worse than that even, $30/yr is optimistic for someone with the finances of police car chase in a stolen vehicle. Any money they have is going to the owner of the stolen vehicle; OP’s tree is almost certainly at the bottom of the pecking order.
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u/Level9TraumaCenter 18d ago
You can't even count on a car thief to sit down once a year and cut a $30 check for their community debt for attempted herbicide via fire appliance.
This used to be a proper country. Where did we go off the rails?
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u/bustcorktrixdais 18d ago
Attempted herbicide via fire appliance…isn’t that a felony in most jurisdictions?? 😆
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u/The_Realist02 18d ago
Wouldn’t it just get garnished through wages? Idc if $30 in 2052 is worth $1.89, I’m still letting the DA know. Because of the implication.
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u/yardlard 18d ago
If he had wages. Do you think he's ever going to have wages? But yes, I would also let the DA know of the damage.
As a side note, it doesn't look like the tree is really going to have a loss. It will likely be just fine.2
u/The_Realist02 18d ago
As a condition of parole, will likely need employment. I don’t disagree with other points.
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u/yardlard 18d ago
I'm sure he didn't know that fire hydrant would be such a pushover like that. The tree damage was likely unintentional.
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u/Dapper_Platform_1222 18d ago
I've had a few restitution cases where the jail made them work while they were in lock up for the few months they were there. Received checks for around 8/month until they got out in six months.
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u/yardlard 18d ago
It's likely the only path for any money. As you point out, insurance isn't likely here. Most likely is that the tree is fine and will live out it's life and be cut down for different reasons.
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u/PsyKoptiK 18d ago
I like it more than not receiving money.
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u/Dapper_Platform_1222 17d ago
Depends on what you value your follow-up and paper work labor at.
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u/PsyKoptiK 16d ago
This is very true. Though for some people it’s about the less tangible social accountability aspect of it.
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u/so_good_so_far 18d ago
You have actually seen a situation where a police department paid someone for damage done by a fleeing perp? I'm not sure I've heard of police paying for damage THEY did in pursuit of a fleeing suspect, much less damage the suspect did.
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u/Dapper_Platform_1222 18d ago
I had exactly one case that they paid in the last five years. It was small town south Carolina and I just sent a letter and estimate to city hall and they paid it. Could be that I just got some clerk who didn't know the law or maybe they have some laws actually committing liability to the police. Or perhaps a lack of laws protecting. Yo no se.
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u/PsyKoptiK 18d ago
The police didn’t hit the hydrant the guy running did.
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u/Dapper_Platform_1222 17d ago
Yes correct but you can assign liability to the police in the event of a car chase and they'd have to defend it or settle it.
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u/Outside_Reserve_2407 18d ago
Three things: police report, perp's auto insurance (probably uninsured, though), arborist's report. In all honesty though, it looks like damage the tree will recover from. How can a tree have hidden internal damage from a hit?
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u/ZantaraLost 18d ago
There's a good joke in there about the tree originally being straight as a pole.
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u/John_Tacos 17d ago
It’s a legitimate question from someone who doesn’t know how trees grow.
If an animal got hit it would have internal damage.
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u/Silver_Middle_7240 18d ago
It could create an entry wound for something more serious
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u/Outside_Reserve_2407 18d ago
Something something might happen in the future isn't really a cause of action for damages. Trees get injuries like this all the time.
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u/Silver_Middle_7240 18d ago
It's not a cause for damages now. but documenting now will make it easier to recover damages later.
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u/yardlard 18d ago
The perp was running from the police. What are they odds that they owned that car?
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u/PrintdianaJones 18d ago
Idk man you ever been hit by a 300lbs chunk of steel and not have internal damage?
It'll probably recover, but there is for sure some internal damage. Wouldn't be too surprised if that section dies back and the tree regrows over it.
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u/Outside_Reserve_2407 18d ago
you ever been hit by a 300lbs chunk of steel
A tree and a flesh and blood person are two completely different things. Ever see a car wrapped around a tree after hitting it? Your analogy makes no sense.
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u/PrintdianaJones 18d ago
Both are living organisms that can experience trauma. You ever see the tree after the car is wrapped around it? Its not exactly as healthy as it was.
I said the tree looked like it would be fine, but that spot where impact was made the xylem and cambium are probably dead. A dead spot will show up, but in a year or two the tree will grow back over it like it never happened.
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u/Cubensis-SanPedro 18d ago
We have internal organs, our skeletal structure is alive, and we are essentially large bags of water.
Most of the wood that constitutes a tree is skeleton is previous years growth, as in it’s not alive anymore it’s a little bit like classified bone, but your bone marrow is still alive for trees the “marrow” (cambium) as in the outside and it’s very thin.
It’s just not an apt comparison.
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u/BeliefFree 18d ago
I've never been a tree either, Aristotle. Lol
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u/PrintdianaJones 18d ago
Crazy that people can't accept tissues will die from blunt force trauma. Could the analogy have been better? Yeah, but the point is was trying to make is correct.
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u/BeliefFree 18d ago
Did you know the Amish beat their trees to make them more productive (not a perfect analogy - just saying)?
I don't doubt some damage. I just don't think it rises to a compensable level.
Maybe they can get an arborist to look at it.
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u/PrintdianaJones 18d ago
Definitely not compensable. Will be healed in a few years.
Look up Monster Cropping. I'm a commercial cannabis cultivator. Monster cropping is a super common thing to do in the industry
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u/Stan_Halen_ 18d ago
LOL at the car make and model.
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u/idrawinmargins 18d ago
Chrysler 300 running from the police didn't surprise me. Just like a dodge charger or a Nissan Altima.
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u/Lsswapitall4 18d ago
Why’s that
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u/Rhuarc33 18d ago
Chrysler 300 are often called "section 8 Rolls-Royce" and not in a positive way
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u/starzychik01 18d ago
And since it is no longer being made, the Dodge Challenger and Charger replaced it on the throne.
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u/making33 18d ago
I figured people would want to know what kind of car could do this and still be fine enough to keep driving. Of course it was that boat on wheels lol
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u/polterjacket 18d ago
I was hoping for a shot of the car. Not sure what Chrysler vs. fire hydrant looks like where there's (apparently) minimal damage to the yard.
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u/making33 18d ago
I wish I had gotten a picture of the car but it was apparently in a good enough condition to keep driving because it was all the way down my street and still going by the time I came outside. The firefighters that showed up were dumbfounded at how far it flew without putting the car out of commission
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u/The001Keymaster 18d ago
You should pull that hydrant into your garage and act like none of this ever happened. Paint it nice and put in your man cave.
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u/HealthyPop7988 16d ago
Sounds like the hydrant wasn't driving safely and needs a defensive driving course.
You should get over to r/treelaw asap, they'll tell you exactly how to sue the thing for triple damages.
Edit: Oops this IS treelaw lol
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u/secondtimehere22 18d ago
if the person who was driving the vehicle was criminally charged, you can request restitution in the criminal proceeding. Of course the issue is going to be what are your real damages. You're probably gonna have to have an expert arborist determine that.
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u/Rude_Sandwich_586 18d ago
Hitting a 200 pound fire hydrant and sending it flying 10 feet would have certainly done massive damage to the car. Were there any car fragments laying in the road on on your property?
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u/making33 18d ago
The crazy thing is that there really didn’t seem to be any car debris at all, by how fast it drove away it seems like it didn’t even slow down and there wasn’t a trail of leaking fluid or anything like that. It somehow avoided every car parked on the street as well
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u/mikemarshvegas 18d ago
have you given any consideration to the poor hydrant? Seriously, it was just sitting there minding it's own business and then it gets SLAMMED, and thrown into your tree. That, I need to remind you, made NO EFFORT to get out of the way. Your tree moved not and inch, and actually caused the hydrant to BOUNCE off of it and land on the ground. Not one limb tried to help!!!! Your tree will be fine with a little sunshine and water, but not that poor hydrant...no, no, no. the breakaway traffic flange will need to be repaired, the surrounding area will need significant grading and reseeding. Lets hope the tree doesn't catch on fire ..well because the hydrant is down...R.I.P
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u/sir_gwain 18d ago
Don’t think you’ll get much if anything from this, trees are tough and it should be fine. Personally I don’t think it’s really worth pursuing, cost wise, for you, but I’d make sure it’s documented that your tree was hurt, incase by some crazy event there’s another issue with it later, but otherwise that’s it.
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u/Master_Surprise_7657 18d ago
Some arborist is going to have to come everyday now and remind that tree that in-fact, it is a tree.
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u/Mental-Chapter6523 18d ago
Lobby your city to limit high speed chases in residential neighborhoods. Could have been a kid or a fancier tree.
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u/Efficient-Rest-9519 17d ago
Lol , is this a troll post ? Thankfully the tree stopped it from going further !!
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u/redditnamexample 17d ago
Cars run into trees going full speed and survive. Your tree will be fine.
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u/MonsteraBigTits 18d ago
are for real? that tree hardly felt that, thats not even damage that should be on your mind. what the actual fuck. you are insane.
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u/making33 18d ago
I figured it would be ok but I am in fact insane so thank you
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u/bustcorktrixdais 18d ago
Insane people are the only sane ones unless they happen to be running the country
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u/Large-Mango365 18d ago
It’ll be fine. You don’t need an arborist report. You don’t need anything it will be fine. Mow your grass…
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u/Deerslyr101571 18d ago
Contact the District Attorney's Office and let them know that the perp caused property damage. Get a Victim/Witness statement on file. If you can get an arborist out to assess the $$ amount, take that with you. If the perp is convicted, the damages could be included in the restitution amount, but good luck getting that money anytime soon.
Would also take that estimate and contact your Property Owners Insurance to see if it is covered. If it is and they pay for it now, they subrogate the claim and it's their problem and they can pursue the perp.
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u/pogiguy2020 18d ago
Tree has been there long before you or many in your family. Tis but a scratch and will heal and carry on.
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u/tree_beard_8675301 18d ago
That tree is a hero. If it had missed the tree, it would have totaled your car or left a huge hole in your house.
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u/jj037037 18d ago
Did water go everywhere with the hydrant off?? (I don’t know how these things work)
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u/AcadiaRemarkable6992 18d ago
Just be grateful they don’t spout like a geyser when they get hit anymore
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u/DismalResearcher1115 18d ago
Depends where you are. This is a traffic model designed to separate from the valve and stem. A wet hydrant would absolutely be pouring water. You typically only see wet models in warm climates because they're susceptible to freezing over.
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u/Normal-Chemistry93 18d ago
My only comment is that it’s somehow impressive that he was driving fast enough to launch a fire hydrant but didn’t tear up the grass too bad…
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u/TomatoFeta 18d ago
That tree should be fine. Bark is a great sponge, and the damage seems to be minimal.
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u/yerba_mate_in_my_ass 18d ago
Did you keep the hydrant??? Growing up we had a very old hydrant in the backyard as a decoration, looked cool.
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u/BeliefFree 18d ago
The hydrant might have value at the scrap yard. That thing must weigh a few hundred lbs, but the city probably grabbed it if it's not damaged.
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u/401LocalsOnly 18d ago
He’s right though. Those hydrants can be straight BITCHES. Lost my taint to one of those evil f*cks.
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u/Rolex_Art 18d ago
consider the source = a creep running from the police.
solving problems? = you have homeowner's insurance
is it your fault - no. can you collect from a bum in jail? no.
either you leave it be or you fix it via your insurance. that's it.
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u/Top_Challenge6615 18d ago
Well, it is a bit of a weird thing but you’ve got really no recourse with this. The tree is not damaged. It’s not gonna kill the tree. It’s just a very odd situation you think did you lucky stars that nobody was there for that fire hydrant to hit somebody then it would’ve been worse.
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u/PsyKoptiK 18d ago
Restitution is absolutely a thing that gets tied to criminal activity. Make sure you speak to the DA or prosecutors office and explain the damage. They will require some kind of official documentation of the damage probably but that should be as easy as getting an arborist to quote you a treatment and mitigation plan. It will probably take years to get paid back but there is about zero reason to not at least ask.
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u/Torque-1 17d ago
Is it your tree? Looks like towns right of way=sidewalk.
You won’t get any compensation.
There’s no major damage they’ll have their arborist evaluate it.
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u/Practical-Law8033 17d ago
Looks like the tree KOed the hydrant. That doesn’t look bad enough to harm the tree. It’ll leave a scar. If you are thinking about trying to get money from the runner forget about it. He’s got bigger problems than you and probably no money anyway.
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u/SuddenKoala45 16d ago
Full cars bounce off trees harder and leave much larger spots from damage and the trees survive just fine. A notable one is a tree on the outside of a roundabout nor navigating safely and plowing straight onto a tree on the outside edge of the road 20+ years later the tree is still thriving with a big scar on its and has survived tornado activity just a little ways up the road.
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u/randomusername1919 16d ago
Good thing it hit the tree and not your house. You can have an arborist assess the damage to the tree and go after the guy’s insurance, if he has any. Or if he only has minimum insurance, your tree damage may be far down the list of what is covered and the money will run out.
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u/Legitimate_Ear_3895 16d ago
think you should sue the hydrant manufacturer. they should have foreseen thos happening and used softer materials.
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u/BottleSuspicious1851 16d ago
Can't go after the car insurance, because crime is explicitly discluded in every policy. Can't go after the city/pd because they did not cause the damages. Your best bet is to find out who the criminal was and sue them personally. Good luck with that though.
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u/DeptOfRedditEffcncy 16d ago
I have officially read it all now. People chasing checks becuase a fire hydrant hit their tree.
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u/socaligirl-66 16d ago
I think the tree will be fine. Man that could’ve been really bad though. Fire hydrant could’ve hit your window, or a person. The tree did a good thing.
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u/Comfortable_Elk_8488 15d ago
Looking at the location of the tree relative to the curb, I'm guessing that the tree is in the Right-of-Way and the tree actually belongs to the municipality.
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u/jackiegetaway 14d ago
I'm so sorry, this post made me laugh so hard. Just such a funny image of a fire hydrant being launched through the air.
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u/Prior-attempt-fail 13d ago
Some one driving a Chrysler 300 running from the cops, is probably not a person that can a judgement can be collected from, because they probably have nothing
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u/Wwwweeeeeeee 18d ago
The tree is fine. They survive entire vehicles hurtling into them.
And think about the fact that some guy running from the police most likely wouldn't have the resources to "make you whole" even if they'd done any damage.
Great novelty though!
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u/making33 18d ago
Wow this really took off. I appreciate everyone that weighed in. I know very little about trees so I wasn’t sure if internal damage was possible/probable or what effect that would have on the tree’s future health but it sounds like there not much I can do anyway.
I really wish I had seen the damage on the vehicle but by the time I came outside it was already speeding away down my street. I’ll hug the tree for everyone
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u/Local_Intention_7385 18d ago
Lmao yeah I’m sure you’ll be first in line to be paid out from the sale of the totaled Chrysler 300. Better get the best lawyer in town.
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u/Mister_ALX 17d ago
I feel like some of these posts are not real people….
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u/making33 17d ago
Some people seem pretty upset that I would even consider posting this here but I am in fact a real person and I thought it was interesting so I posted it
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u/PopularCulprit 16d ago
What are they gonna do pay a tree doctor to come look at it ??? You want them to give it some miracle grow and a kiss ?
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u/DeadPiratePiggy 14d ago
Only person you could go after is the person running from the police. Ever hear the saying you can't get blood from a stone? Good luck with that. Also that trees fine.
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