Over $250K Raised for San Francisco Cop Hit by Falling Tree

The family of a San Francisco police officer injured by a tree that fell during March storms has raised more than a quarter of a million dollars to pay for his medical care.

Sgt. Kevin Brugaletta was released from the hospital Tuesday after being seriously injured by a falling tree that crushed his car as he sat inside it on March 21. An update on the family's GoFundMe shows that Brugaletta was in the intensive care unit as recently as April 4.

The city's police union said Brugaletta has been transferred to a rehabilitation facility and asked citizens to respect Brugaletta's and his family's privacy.

“Kevin has bravely made steady progress in his recovery and is looking forward to continuing his progress at a long-term rehabilitation facility,” said Lt. Tracy McCray, SF Police Officers Association president in a press release announcing Brugaletta's discharge. "The rehabilitation process for Kevin will be long, intense, and costly."

The storms during the week of March 21 wreaked havoc on the city, with high winds knocking trees onto power lines and tipping over big-rig trucks, snarling traffic for hours.