Staff report
The Castleton Police Department has identified a woman who died in front of her home by a falling tree in a high wind storm on Dec. 23.
Castleton Police Chief Peter Mantello said Joyce Ricard, 51, died of blunt force trauma from a 60-foot-tall maple tree that fell when she was outside her home on East Creek Drive and attempting to get back inside.
“The tree broke off about a third of the way up,” Mantello said.
Mantello said Ricard was on the phone with her husband, who was at work, when the tree fell. Her husband realized what had happened and called 911.
Mantello said she was trapped under the tree when first responders arrived around 7:30 a.m. The police, fire and rescue departments worked to relieve the weight of the tree.
“She sustained some serious blunt trauma, but she was conscious enough to say a few words,” Mantello said. “Then she was kind of in and out.”
The tree was about 10 feet wide and located about 70 feet away from her home.
“It was unfortunate, two days before Christmas. It’s one of those things,” Mantello said.
She was transported via ambulance to Rutland Regional Medical Center, where she later died around 10 a.m.
Ricard was born in Glens Falls, New York, according to her obituary. She graduated from Fair Haven Union High School in 1989. She had operated a daycare at her home for many years.
Mantello said the area was heavily damaged with many trees down.
About 94,000 Green Mountain Power customers lost power.
