By Daily Press staff
Entire trees, branches and numerous palm fronds were blown down all over Santa Monica, with a few of them falling on top of the cars parked below, said Sgt. Gary Herman, SMPD watch commander.
The most notable incident, he said, was an electrical pole near 23rd and Pearl streets that cracked and dangled over the street. Southern California Edison replaced the pole by 8 a.m., Friday and disruption of service was minimal.
“It wasn’t that bad,” Herman said of the storm.
To one local man, however, the damage was that bad.
Justin Rubin’s Toyota truck, which was parked on Arizona Avenue between 14th and Euclid streets, was one of those unfortunate enough to have been under one of the falling trees.
That alone would probably have been bad enough.
But, as it turns out, the Toyota was the second vehicle Rubin and his wife have lost in less than two weeks. His wife’s car, which was parked in nearly the same spot, was totaled by a hit-and-run driver on March 14.
As he surveyed the damage Thursday night, Rubin scratched the back of his head and good-naturedly wondered what his insurance company was going say this time.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on March 29, 2003. Read the original PDF.