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Vehicle crashes into Sultan tree monument

Published 3:01 pm Saturday, December 31, 2022

By Jacqueline Allison

A 1,000-year-old Douglas fir that sits on display at Traveler’s Park lies on its side in a pile of debris Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, after being hit by a vehicle the day before in Sultan, Washington. The sign on the tree reads, “Douglas fir 1000 years old from the Sultan Basin donated by Roesler Timber Co. & Sky Valley Lions - 1976.” (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
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A 1,000-year-old Douglas fir that sits on display at Traveler’s Park lies on its side in a pile of debris Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, after being hit by a vehicle the day before in Sultan, Washington. The sign on the tree reads, “Douglas fir 1000 years old from the Sultan Basin donated by Roesler Timber Co. & Sky Valley Lions - 1976.” (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
A 1,000-year-old Douglas fir that sits on display at Traveler’s Park lies on its side in a pile of debris Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, after being hit by a vehicle the day before in Sultan, Washington. The sign on the tree reads, “Douglas fir 1000 years old from the Sultan Basin donated by Roesler Timber Co. & Sky Valley Lions - 1976.” (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
A 1,000-year-old Douglas fir that sits on display at Traveler’s Park lies on its side in a pile of debris Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, after being hit by a vehicle the day before in Sultan, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
One portion of the 1,000-year-old Douglas fir that sits on display at Traveler’s Park shows damage Saturday, Dec. 31, 2022, after being hit by a vehicle the day before in Sultan, Washington. Nearly all of the tree is still in one piece. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)

SULTAN — There appeared to be minimal damage to a 1,000-year-old Douglas fir tree slab knocked off its stand by a driver on Friday.

The driver of a Jeep experienced a medical issue around 4 p.m. Friday and crashed into the monument at Traveler’s Park off U.S. 2, Snohomish County sheriff’s deputy Bill Westsik said.

Westsik said the extent of the driver’s injuries were unknown, but noted deputies gave the person a ride home.

The collision knocked the tree round off its rock platform onto its side. On Saturday, the massive slab was missing a chunk out of one side, though was mostly intact.

While the platform is destroyed, the wood shelter above the monument appeared to be undamaged.

The Douglas fir tree round was logged from the Sultan Basin and is estimated to be 1,000 years old, according to an inscription on the monument. It was donated by Roesler Timber Co. and the Sky Valley Lions in 1976.

Sultan has a rich history of logging.

Jacqueline Allison: 425-339-3434; jacqueline.allison@heraldnet.com; Twitter: @jacq_allison.

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