Falling tree kills college student while taking a walk
September 23, 2014 - 8:27 pm
MASSILLON, Ohio — A falling tree has killed a 21-year-old Ohio college student who decided to take a walk to clear her head after a day of studying.
The Independent in Massillon (MAS’-ih-luhn) reports that Rachel Schmidt attended Kent State University’s Stark County campus. She was a third-year communications major and lived in Perry Township in suburban Canton.
She decided to talk a walk at a Massillon park on Sunday afternoon. The newspaper reports that wind gusts were averaging over 30 mph at that time.
The tree that struck Schmidt was estimated to be 80 feet tall and 6 feet in circumference at its base. It was on a hill surrounding the park.
Someone saw the accident and called for help. Schmidt died an hour later.