Overview
- On Wednesday, Lt. Selvin Sandoval heard a tree crack while walking his dog in Framingham and ran into the street to wave down passing Department of Public Works trucks before the limb fell.
- Witnesses said the limb snapped, bounced off a DPW truck windshield, and struck Sandoval in the head, trapping him under debris.
- Sandoval briefly lost consciousness, freed himself, and was given first aid by bystanders, DPW crew members and Framingham Fire responders before asking for a neck brace.
- He was taken to Brigham and Women's Hospital, where he received staples and treatment for a concussion and has since been released to recover at home with doctors expecting a full recovery.
- The cause of the tree failure remains unknown and the episode has raised local concern about urban tree hazards and the risks municipal workers face on the job.