A man was taken to a trauma center after the tree landed on a Range Rover during a Friday storm.
NORTH MIAMI, FL — A man was hurt Friday morning when lightning struck a tree along North Miami Avenue, sending it crashing onto a moving Range Rover near Northeast 125th Street, first responders said.
The crash turned a brief burst of severe weather into a rescue scene on one of North Miami’s main corridors. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue said one person was taken to a trauma center after the tree fell on the SUV at about 11:30 a.m. Police remained at the scene afterward, and authorities said the injured man was expected to recover.
Surveillance video from a nearby home showed the strike hitting the tree moments before the white Range Rover passed beneath it. The tree splintered, dropped into the road and landed on the front of the SUV. The impact crushed part of the vehicle and left the tree broken across the street. Leonce Luma, whose home is near the crash site, said the timing was startling. “Unfortunately, the car literally passed under that tree,” Luma said. He said the video showed wood and debris flying after what looked like a small blast at the tree.
Fire rescue crews arrived a short time later and worked to reach the driver, who was trapped inside the damaged SUV. A chainsaw could be heard at the scene as crews cut through the fallen tree and parts of the vehicle. The man was removed from the Range Rover, placed on a stretcher and taken to a hospital. Officials did not release his name, age or exact injuries. Miami-Dade Fire Rescue described the transport as a trauma center response. North Miami police also responded and were investigating the incident. No other injuries were publicly reported.
The tree was identified in one local report as a Norfolk pine. Video from the aftermath showed the trunk snapped and the SUV badly damaged near the front. The crash happened in the area of North Miami Avenue and Northeast 125th Street, a busy part of the city lined with homes, businesses and steady traffic. The strike came as storms moved through South Florida on Friday, one day before the July Fourth holiday. The incident also showed how quickly lightning can turn a street scene into an emergency, even when a vehicle is already in motion.
Luma said his father was inside their home when the lightning hit and first thought something had exploded in the house. The surveillance video later showed that the sound came from the tree outside. Luma said pieces of wood flew after the strike before the trunk gave way. “Something struck that tree, and then you can see just rubble come down,” he said. “It literally was like perfect timing.” He said his family was not hurt but was shaken by how close the incident happened to their home.
North Miami police had not announced any charges or traffic citations as of the latest reports, and the case appeared to be a weather-related emergency rather than a criminal matter. Investigators were expected to review the crash scene, the damaged SUV and available surveillance video. Officials had not said whether the road was closed for an extended period or whether city crews removed the full tree from the area. Authorities also had not released a formal damage estimate for the vehicle.
The injured man remained the only known victim in the incident. Officials said he was expected to recover, but his detailed condition had not been made public. The next step is the police review of the scene and any follow-up report from fire rescue or city officials.
Author note: Last updated July 5, 2026.