Police have identified the woman killed by a falling tree in Garfield Park on July 10 as 35-year-old Sarah Noah of Southeast.
Noah died early Wednesday morning as she walked with her dog and spouse in the park. According to the police report, witnesses told officers they heard multiple loud pops or cracks and then “everyone in the park started to run in all directions.”
According to the report, when officers arrived, Noah was pinned under a large tree limb but officers were unable to move it it as it was extremely heavy. DC Fire Emergency Medical Services (DC FEMS) used chain saws to get to her. She was pronounced dead on the scene at 7:37 a.m.
The tree has now been removed from Garfield Park. On Wednesday, Associate Director of the District Department of Transportation’s DC Urban Forestry Division Earl Eutsler said that the tree, a nearly 100-year old Swamp White Oak, had last been inspected and pruned in July 2022 “and gave no sign that something like this was possible, let alone likely.”
A letter from the Friends of Garfield Park shared to X (formerly Twitter) and addressed to city officials asks for a meeting to address maintenance at the park, including concerns around tree health and for a strategic plan to address concerns with their structural safety as extreme heat and drought become more common.
“Our community is in shock, and we cannot afford to continue delaying deferred maintenance any longer,” the Friends group wrote. “Real action, urgency to fund maintenance and proper istration must for the remaining items needed to be addressed at the park.”
Garfield Park is slated for a $1.3 million renovation that is slated to begin this summer after a launch event in June.
