‘I heard my son screaming’: California handyman dealing with severe financial strain after massive city-owned tree fell on his truck — trapping his 4-year-old son inside. What now?

Medical bills and missing tools

The shocking story doesn’t end there. Ysander was rushed to the hospital where his leg was put in a cast. He ended up needing surgery to repair his leg, according to a Go Fund Me started to help the Montoya family.

“We are asking the community to help contribute to medical bills, time off work and new vehicle for work as Humberto is the sole provider for his family of 4,” says the page, which has so far raised $11,300 out of a $20,000 goal.

As the family reeled from the trauma, there was one more heartbreak for Montoya. When he returned to the crash site two days later, his tools, which he needs for his work, had been stolen from the wreckage.

Invest in real estate without the headache of being a landlord

Imagine owning a portfolio of thousands of well-managed single family rentals or a collection of cutting-edge industrial warehouses. You can now gain access to a $1B portfolio of income-producing real estate assets designed to deliver long-term growth from the comforts of your couch.

The best part? You don’t have to be a millionaire and can start investing in minutes.

Learn More

City negligence?

Montoya and his son weren’t the only ones who were affected. Another car was damaged and another individual was trapped under branches from the same tree.

The fallen valley oak stood on a public sidewalk and was pushing up the pavement, according to the Montoya family.

“A lot of people in the community have reported that the tree was already rotten and they have called the city to let them know,” said Diana Navarrete, Montoya's wife and Ysander's mother, to KTUV. "They'd seen the pavement lift so they should have taken action."

The city of San Mateo confirmed the tree was a valley oak and told KTUV they’re reviewing records for any complaints.

Green Fashion Nursery owner Berto Heredia, whose property also suffered damage, confirmed there had been warnings to city officials.

"This is something we've called the city about before. We informed them that this tree is old," Heredia told KTVU. "When you call, you get a city clerk who says they'll be back to you in a day or two. And unfortunately, you know, nothing was caught in time before things like this happen."

His nursery lost roughly a third of its inventory in the collapse.

According to the city of San Mateo website, they are responsible for the maintenance of trees that are on city property, including scheduled pruning, removal of dead and hazardous trees and responding to resident concerns about dangerous trees.

If the city's investigation finds that the tree was not properly maintained or that resident complaints about its condition were ignored, it's possible it could be held liable for damages resulting from the tree's fall.

As for the Montoya family, they are grappling with recovery and financial strain, relying on their community and strangers to help turn this tragedy around.