Hamilton County Set To Pay $100,000 For Fallen Tree Damage
NOBLESVILLE, Ind. — A central Indiana county is set to pay $100,000 to the owners of four vehicles after a tree limb fell on the courthouse square last month, crushing them.
The 86-foot tall red oak split during a storm on October 21, causing a large limb to crash on top of a row of cars parked outside the Hamilton County courthouse in Noblesville.
A pickup truck was totaled, and three cars were badly damaged. No one was inside any of the cars, and no one was hurt when the branch — weighing an estimated several thousand pounds — fell.
Commissioner Christine Altman said that while the county is likely not legally responsible for the accident, they would still pay for repairs.
The $100,000 will be paid from the county’s insurance trust fund.
An arborist who inspected the tree for the county three years ago found no signs of disease, but a cable wrapped around its trunk in 2017 had weakened the tree.
A further inspection of the tree showed it was decaying and has since been taken down. Other trees in the area will also be inspected for signs of disease.
