Woman’s Death From Falling Tree Branch Could Have Been Prevented, Coroner Finds

The death of a South Australian woman who was killed when a large tree branch fell onto her car could have been prevented, a coroner has found.

Judith Anne Ditter, 59, was driving along Mount Barker Road in Stirling, in the Adelaide Hills, in November 2020 when a heavy branch from a property fell onto her vehicle. Her daughter, who was also in the car, suffered serious injuries.

In findings released on September 24, Acting Deputy State Coroner Judge Ian White said different actions could have prevented the tree limb from failing.

An arborist who examined the tree after Ms Ditter’s death found several warning signs. The coroner said that if the tree had been assessed the day before it fell, indicators including an extensive hollow, unusual bark patterns and discolouration could have revealed that it posed a danger.

The inquest also examined the tree’s history. Judge White found that there had been opportunities in 2010 and 2012 for the Adelaide Hills Council to require arborist assessments when development applications were being considered for the property.

He said such an assessment could have identified the defect and allowed remedial action to be taken, including removing the dangerous limb before it fell.

The property’s owner, Kerrie Hayes, had purchased the property in December 2019 and later sought advice from an arborist about the trees. The arborist reportedly recommended that the significant tree be reduced within 12 to 18 months.

The coroner found that if the tree had been removed immediately or within that recommended period, Ms Ditter would likely not have been killed.

The investigation also found that work carried out near the tree in previous years may have caused damage. At the time, there was no requirement for agencies conducting potentially tree-damaging work to notify the council about possible damage or safety concerns.

Judge White made seven recommendations, including measures aimed at improving how significant trees are considered during development applications. He recommended that councils employ arborists within planning departments and that the public receive clearer information about responsibilities for maintaining potentially dangerous trees.

He also recommended a new notification requirement for government agencies carrying out work near significant trees when that work may have damaged them or created a safety risk.

Judge White said Ms Ditter’s death was “sudden” and “shocking” and stressed that there was nothing she could have done herself to predict or prevent what happened.

The case highlights how defects in large trees can remain difficult to detect without specialist inspection, particularly when trees have previously been affected by construction or other work.

Sources
ABC News — ‘Sudden’ death of SA woman from falling tree branch preventable, coroner finds
ABC News — Woman’s death from falling tree branch ‘may have been preventable’, court hears
Adelaide Now — Hills mum’s horror tree death ‘could have been prevented