A Saturday evening storm that brought high winds, heavy rain and hail to portions of Hamilton County caused a tree to fall in Carmel, killing a New York man.
At approximately 10:43 p.m., the Carmel Police and Fire departments responded to the 11900 block of Westwood Drive regarding a tree that had fallen and struck a man. Upon arrival, first responders found that Elias Smith, 40, New York, had sustained multiple injuries from the falling tree. He was pronounced deceased at the scene. Witnesses on scene advised that Smith was attempting to escape the storm when the tree fell and struck him.
Smith, along with his wife and two children, had traveled from New York to visit his parents. A Carmel High School graduate, he served as a teacher and then vice principal in Brooklyn.
The Smith family issued the following statement to the Reporter’s newsgathering partner WISH-TV:
“The Smith family would like to express their gratitude to the Carmel Police Department and paramedics who responded on Saturday night. They were not only professional but compassionate. Also, we would like to thank the Carmel officials who were on the scene Sunday morning to provide assistance, especially Fire Chief David Haboush and Council Member Jeff Worrell. Carmel is truly a supportive and caring community.”