Tree limb slams into moving cars in Merrick

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A large limb of an oak tree, which appeared to have partly rotted out, crashed onto two moving cars at Hewlett and Loines avenues in Merrick Woods on July 22 around 1 p.m.

No one was hurt, according to Nassau County police at the scene.

Rob Cerny, of Merrick, was driving with his 9-year-old daughter when the tree slammed into the side of their Nissan Murano. Cerny said that he was making the left from Loines onto Hewlett when the branch seemingly came out of nowhere.

Cerny continued to drive through the falling limb and its smaller branches for roughly half a block. His windshield was smashed in, and much of the driver's side of the car was dented in.

"This car is totally destroyed," he said. "We got lucky."

Cerny said that he came away with few minor cuts and scratches, but otherwise was unharmed. His daughter, he said, was unhurt, but clearly shaken up.

The driver of the other vehicle, a Honda CR-V, was unavailable for comment. He was apparently coming to a stop at the light at Hewlett and Loines when the limb came down.

The limb took down power lines with it. A PSEG Long Island representative said that electricity was on throughout the area, except in the immediate blocks around the crash. Workers were restoring power at press time.