Falling tree kills a Georgia man who was driving during a violent thunderstorm

SAVANNAH, Ga. (AP) — A coastal Georgia man died during a powerful thunderstorm when a tree fell onto his car, authorities said Wednesday.

Gregory Scott, 66, died Tuesday night as a storm system crossing Georgia pummeled the Savannah area with strong winds, heavy rain and lightning, Chatham County police said in a news release.

The storm uprooted trees and sent limbs crashing down across the county, where several hundred homes and businesses remained without electricity Wednesday afternoon, according to Georgia Power’s online outage map.

Scott worked for the Chatham County government as a manager in its Occupational Safety, Risk Management and Disability Services Department.

Savannah Mayor Van Johnson, who knew Scott personally, called his death “a huge loss to our community.”

“Greg was a consummate professional,” Johnson told reporters. “He was incredibly kind, he was always fun and quirky. We could always count on him to say something smart and witty.”