Police ID man fatally struck by tree limb in Fairfield

Police identified a Fairfield man fatally struck by a tree limb while driving in his car with his family during thunderstoms.

News 12 Staff

Jul 1, 2019, 9:30 AM

Updated 1,852 days ago

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Police have identified a man fatally struck by a tree limb while driving his car in Fairfield.
David L. Schmerzler, 54, of Fairfield died at the hospital Sunday following the incident 
The incident happened at 2:16 p.m. on the 3330 Sturges Highway. 
Officers say they responded to the scene and found Schmerzler unconscious in the driver’s seat.
Police say he was driving northbound on Sturges Highway when a large limb from a Sassafras tree fell striking the vehicle and Schmerzler as he was driving in front of his home.
He was transported to Norwalk Hospital where he was pronounced dead at 3:18 p.m.
Police say his wife and daughter were also inside the car at the time of the incident. 
Schmerzler's wife suffered minor injuries. 
Police say the tree limb appeared to break off as a result of the strong winds and storm conditions.
Officials say they performed multiple water rescues including one involving an overturned sailboat where one person was rescued near the Penfield Lighthouse in Fairfield.
A husband and wife who were kayaking near Southport Harbor also had to be rescued.
Officials say just hours after the storm a deck collapsed sending six people crashing 7 feet to the ground below on Rhode Island Avenue.
Everyone was taken to the hospital with minor injuries.
Dozens of trees were downed as a result of the two damaging storms and powerlines were left strewn across many roads in Fairfield.
Police say a tree came crashing down Old Post Road snapping 9 telephone poles leaving more than 2,000 people without power in lower Fairfield County. Officials say around 164 people are still without power in Fairfield Monday.  
 


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