Banking executive, 35, dies in freak accident while walking through Washington DC park after firefighters battled frantically to save her

A beloved Washington DC resident died in a freak park accident after firefighters battled frantically to save her. 

Sarah Noah, 35, was with her husband, walking her dog through Garfield Park in the Capitol Hill neighborhood last Wednesday morning around 7.30am when she was struck and pinned underneath a massive fallen tree branch.

Fire crews and EMS raced to the scene near Third Street and South Carolina Avenue after horrified bystanders called for help. 

Chainsaws were used to try and free the woman, but she was no longer conscious or breathing when they arrived, and was pronounced dead, as per the police report.

Mayor Muriel Bowser expressed her condolences and called the incident a 'heartbreaking tragedy'.

'My heart goes out to the family of our resident and the whole neighborhood that's pretty in shock. I'll get a full briefing and we will certainly proceed, but I think this morning we just wake up with a very heavy heart,' she said.

Moments before the tragedy, police said witnesses heard a cracking and popping sound before they ran in different directions. 

It remains unclear if Noah had been wearing headphones and may not have heard the sound of the tree falling. 

The tree that was identified as a swamp white oak tree that is 50 feet in diameter and approximately 100 years old. 

Officials from the D.C. Department of Transportation who were present after the accident said the tree gave no indication of issues, Fox 5 DC reported. 

Sharon Kershbaum, DDOT's acting director, said the department was 'truly heartbroken,' upon learning of Noah's unexpected passing. 

Kershbaum told Fox 5 that the Urban Forestry Division is responsible for the maintenance of all the District's street trees and park trees, and that they are 'incredibly proud of their track record and responsiveness.'

However, a day before Noah was killed, an email was sent to by neighbors in the Capital Hill area to city officials about their concerns about tree health and the park, Fox 5 reports.

In the email, they stated that the park was 'very dry' and had no water access, and requested assistance to water the trees and lawns as they were also concerned about fires.

Other issues raised included the cracked sidewalks and rodents in the park. 

'Garfield Park Friends and Neighbors' had sent a letter to D.C. Mayor Bowser and other councilmembers to address pruning issues on the tree whose branch broke killing the civilian.

The letter detailed, in part,  some of the ongoing complaints community members had about Garfield Park,  and the funds they needed to address tree maintenance, as per the news outlet. 

'Our community is in shock, and we cannot afford to continue delaying deferred maintenance any longer,' the letter continued. 

'Real action, urgency to fund maintenance, and proper administration must account for the remaining items needed to be addressed at the park.'      

Earl Eutsler, associate director for DDOT's Urban Forestry Division, told the news outlet after the tragedy, that he was not aware of the emails and insisted that requests are taken seriously.

Eutsler explained that trees are inspected roughly every five years.

He explained there are nearly 30 certified arborists who work for the department, and all are tree risk assessment qualified. 

They assess for decay and defects using special tools, removing about 50 trees per year. 

May 2022 was the last formal inspection of the swamp white oak tree that took Noah's life. In July of of that year, the tree was last pruned. 

Eutsler called the falling of the tree as  'an unforeseeable event.'

'I don't think we'll be able to say conclusively why the limb fell,' he said. 'The tree, by all outward indications, was in good condition and that branch was well attached.'

Now, the tree's stump is all that is left of it, and it has become a memorial where mourners have placed cards and flowers.

A GoFundMe has been arranged by a family friend. As of Tuesday afternoon more than $34,000 has been raised towards their goal of $50,000.

 'She will be dearly missed by her husband Craig, their dog Jackson, her parents, her brother, and countless friends. Sarah was a fierce, fierce friend,' the post read, in part.

'Her unwavering loyalty and unabashed candor inspired those she loved. Her contagious sense of humor and palpable warmth instantly put people she just met at ease. 

'Sarah, even now, as we all mourn, we can hear your commentary on this nonsensical situation, accompanied by your trademark laughter. Your personality is magnetic and we will always carry it with us in our hearts.'

The money raised will go towards funeral expenses,  support for her family, and  some of Noah's favorites charities, including Girls on the Run and Wolf Trap Animal Rescue.