Diana Ospina Obituary, Death: Police ID woman killed by falling tree during Somerset County storm

Diana Ospina Obituary, Death – A woman from Middlesex Borough has been identified as the victim of a tragic accident during Thursday’s severe storm in Somerset County. North Plainfield police confirmed Monday that the victim was 44-year-old Diana Ospina. She was killed after a large tree fell onto her vehicle while she waited out the storm.

According to Police Chief Alan McKay, Ospina had been driving east on Greenbrook Road in a 2018 Jeep Grand Cherokee when the storm intensified around 6 p.m. At approximately 6:30 p.m., she pulled over in the 700 block of Greenbrook Road to wait for conditions to improve. While she sat inside her SUV, a massive tree became uprooted, lifting part of the sidewalk and crashing across the road. The tree fell directly on her vehicle, also damaging a second car and several nearby homes.

Chief McKay noted that the fallen tree brought down live electrical wires, which created a hazardous scene and significantly delayed rescue efforts by police and firefighters. Tragically, Ospina was pronounced dead at the scene from injuries sustained in the incident.

Emergency crews remained on site throughout the night. Utility workers from Public Service Electric & Gas (PSE\&G) were needed to deactivate the power lines before the tree could be safely removed. A local tree service and a crane were later brought in to lift the tree off the Jeep.

The Northern Regional Medical Examiner’s Office was called to recover Ospina’s body, and an autopsy will be conducted to officially determine the cause of death.

Authorities are continuing to investigate the incident and have asked that anyone with relevant information contact the North Plainfield Police Department Traffic Safety Division at 908-769-2931.

Ospina’s death was not the only fatality reported during the powerful storm. Officials also confirmed that two men were killed in Plainfield after another tree fell on their vehicle just before 7 p.m. The victims, aged 79 and 25, were both pronounced dead at the scene. Their identities and hometowns have not yet been released.

According to the National Weather Service, damage from the storm appears to be the result of straight-line winds and downbursts. Based on photos and radar data, wind speeds in the affected areas were estimated to be between 65 and 80 miles per hour. These conditions were strong enough to uproot trees and cause widespread structural damage.

As cleanup and recovery efforts continue, officials are urging the public to remain cautious around downed trees and power lines. This devastating storm has served as a grim reminder of the dangers posed by extreme weather, especially when seeking shelter in vehicles near trees or power lines.