Storm pushes towering tree into Layton home

LAYTON — A Utah couple is out of their home tonight after a huge tree came crashing through their walls and roof.

Bruce and Micky Wickersham say Tuesday night’s storm showed up in a way they’ve never seen before. Bruce was watching the lightning flash overhead but decided to go inside to safety as thunder and rain started to move in over their home near the intersection of Weaver Lane and Angel Street.

“Almost felt like a tornado,” Bruce Wickersham said, pointing to his garage. “And like this whole side is just, leaves just coated, so it looked like it just kind of swirled and went through.”

Micky Wickersham says one of their large trees in the backyard came crashing down just about ten minutes after her husband came inside.

“Lots of thunder. Lots of lightning. Scared the bejesus out of the dogs,” she said. “And, just loud noise. All of a sudden a different loud noise, and we went out and there’s a tree in the living room.”

The tree broke through walls on the rooftop in both their front room and an office upstairs.

Just next door, at The Hideaway on Angel events center, owner Cathy Armstrong says the rain and hail came in thick.

“It was crazy,” Armstrong said. “You’ve never heard the hail coming down the wind, the rain. (I) couldn’t even see.”

For her, the storm pushed through with some fortuitous timing. They had just finished hosting a wedding that evening and happened to have Tuesday’s schedule clear to clean up in time to host weddings through the rest of the week.

Armstrong, employees, and a tree company worked to clear downed branches, blown canopies, and some minor flooding through the front door of the events center.

Layton firefighters said several homes in the area were hit with similar damage, but no injuries were reported. Several power lines were also downed but have now been repaired.

While she may be grateful for the rainfall, Armstrong is hopeful storms forecasted for later this week won’t be as fierce.

“I hope, you know, we keep getting these little storms,” Armstrong said. “(But) I hope we’re going to slow down on that. And I’m just glad. I hope that people were safe in the houses that might have got hit.”