Giant Oak tree falls, Contra Costa County refuses to clean it up

WALNUT CREEK, Calif. (KGO) -- An Oak tree that is estimated to be about 150 years old came down without warning Thursday night in the East Bay. It happened on Glen Haven Avenue in Walnut Creek.

People who saw the tree leaning managed to get out of the way before it fell.

The county crews only cleared away part of the tree after it fell earlier and ABC7 News looked into why.

The Oak tree fell on a private driveway and partly on a public road. Contra Costa County said it's only responsible for cutting the parts that protrude onto the street, but the home owner says the trunk is growing out of the creek, which should be the county's jurisdiction.

The county came back and said the creek is privately owned, but no one seems to know who owns that part of the creek.

Finally, the CHP stepped in and said it was a safety hazard because fire trucks may need to get to the homes up the driveway, so the county cleared a 10-foot path and no more, then left the rest for these homeowners to figure out.

Homeowner Nick Hulchiy said a man from the county said he didn't know who's responsible for the tree, but said he don't think it was his problem.

So the next step is to go to the title company and find out whose problem it really is.