The South Whidbey Record’s own Brian Read miraculously avoided injury in a tree-related accident that destroyed the Jeep Cherokee he had purchased just a week before.

Read, an outside sales consultant, was headed home from the store after buying butter to make cookies last Saturday when the accident occurred. He was driving on Cultus Bay Road in Clinton at about 8 p.m. when his vehicle was struck by something, likely tree debris that fell under the pressure of the wind and the rain that he couldn’t avoid.

Just 15 minutes earlier, he said, that same area was clear.

Read, 49, recalled losing control of his vehicle upon impact. The vehicle tipped on its side, spun and slid off the road for about 30 to 50 feet until the car crashed into the trees and bushes.

Read was able to exit the car through the front passenger door as the car lay on the drivers’ side. Much to his surprise, he only felt some mild soreness, but called 911 to report the collision. He then muscled the debris from the road to prevent other cars from hitting it.

Read said he felt very fortunate that neither his wife nor children were with him at the time. Unfortunately, the family didn’t get to finish making the cookies that day.

No matter how familiar a road is, Read cautioned, it’s important to be extremely careful during stormy weather.