Massive tree crashes down in Oakland neighborhood

OAKLAND, Calif. (KGO) -- A neighborhood in Oakland is cleaning up today after a 90-year-old oak tree came crashing down last night.

Max Medina's BMW is right where he parked it, but this morning, he didn't find it in the same condition he left it, mother-nature had other plans.

"We got home and the tree had already fallen over. My niece had alerted us. She sent us pictures of the tree on the car," said Medina.

Now instead of heading to work - he's faced with a list of repairs.

"It's the worst. I don't have a car now," said Marueen McAuliffe.

McAuliffe is in the same boat. Her 2000 Dodge Neon has been reduced to a pile of crumpled fiber glass, twisted steel and what is soon to become salvaged spare parts.

"I got closer and I could see that headlight and it's my car perfectly -- it's a cruel April Fools joke," said McAuliffe.

If there is a silver lining to this tree tale - it would be the direction the oak has fallen - the home was spared. Its owner left this morning without speaking - telling me she heard the noise and knew there was nothing she could do.

The 90-year-old oak came crashing down on El Dorado Avenue just after 10 last night. The tree's thick trunk and heavy branches destroyed everything in its path, ripping apart power lines, splintering cable connections and snapping a street light from its hinges -- at least four homes lost power.

The rain that blanketed the Bay Area made short work of this tree's root system, making its weight too much to bare. The three cars parked beneath were barely visible. Branches where windshields used to be and leaves covering the interior.

Public works crews have been on the scene for hours and they hope to have most of this cleared away by noon. Until then, they'll be on stand-by while the next weather system makes its way through the Bay Area.