Publix truck nearly cut in half by falling tree

PLANT CITY, Fla. - A Publix semi-trailer has seen better days after a tree fell on it Monday afternoon.

Hillsborough County deputies say the truck was at 2405 Knights Griffin Road in Plant City when a tree tore through the top of the truck, nearly cutting it in half.

At first, witness Clara Barber thought the sound of the tree hitting the truck was just another afternoon Florida thunderstorm.

"I was inside the house, and I thought it was thundering," she said. “It sounded like a big ‘ole boom.”

Branches from the tree could be seen inside the truck after the roof was completely taken out. 
Food and toiletry items, along with bottles of wine and beer, went flying. Deputies say no one was injured in the accident.

Jennifer Rickards was only a few cars behind when the tree came crashing down. She says people in the vehicles behind the truck driver rushed out to help. 

"There were people trying to move the tree, because it eventually had fallen off the truck,” Rickards said. “People came to try and move the trunk off of the road. I felt bad for the driver. He was doing his job, and this happened."

Publix released the following statement Monday afternoon:

“We are investigating the incident. We are very thankful no one was hurt or injured.”

The road was closed for about four hours between Keen Rd. and Dusty Oaks Dr. until the truck was removed. Clean-up crews say the contents of the truck were a total loss.