On Dec. 24, 61-year-old Roberto Luis died in San Diego after a large tree branch fell on him outside his home, according to San Diego Fire-Rescue and local media. Crews found Luis in cardiac arrest and were unable to save him; Battalion Chief Craig Newell said the branch was too heavy for responders to move. The victim's family says they complained about the tree's condition for more than five years, while the city says it inspected the tree in January 2024 and found no defects. The death occurred amid severe storms that prompted Governor Gavin Newsom to declare a state of emergency and were linked to other weather-related deaths and rescues across California.
San Diego Grandfather, 61, Killed on Christmas Eve After Tree Branch Falls During Severe Storm
CBS 8 San Diego/YouTubeA photo of the tree in San Diego that fell on the man
A 61-year-old grandfather, identified as Roberto Luis, died on Wednesday, Dec. 24 after a large tree branch split from a tree and fell on him near his San Diego home, San Diego Fire-Rescue and local media reported.
According to San Diego Fire-Rescue and KCRG, the first branch struck Luis and knocked him unconscious. Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Craig Newell told KCRG that when crews arrived Luis had gone into cardiac arrest. "They did everything they could. Unfortunately, the tree was too heavy," Newell said.
"The first tree branch fell. It struck him, knocking him unconscious," — Fire-Rescue Battalion Chief Craig Newell.
Luis' daughter-in-law, who was not named, described him as a loving family man who was "always helping his family." She told KCRG the family is grieving and questioned why the city had not acted after they say they reported concerns about the tree for more than five years. "How do you go home on Christmas Eve and tell your kids that their grandpa is dead? I still can’t find the words," she said.
Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times via GettyFlooded intersection in California on Wednesday, Dec. 24, 2025
The City of San Diego released a statement saying maintenance on the tree had been performed in January 2024 and that workers at that time found no concerns or defects. The city also said it did not have a record of any maintenance requests specifically for that tree. San Diego Fire-Rescue and the City of San Diego did not immediately respond to further requests for comment.
Storms and Wider Impact
The fatal incident occurred as severe storms swept across California. On Dec. 24, Gov. Gavin Newsom declared a state of emergency for Los Angeles County and other Southern California counties, warning that heavy rain and high winds could increase flood and landslide risk.
At least one other weather-related death was reported that day: authorities told ABC10 and CNN that a motorist died in a crash on a roadway in Sacramento County. First responders also carried out several rescues, including a woman swept into San Jose Creek and a man pulled from a small drainage tunnel on the Los Angeles River, according to local outlets including KESQ-TV.
Context: City inspections and family reports about tree safety are often contentious after a tragic event. The family has urged municipal officials to review tree maintenance and public-safety procedures to prevent similar incidents.
