An oak tree fell on a Mission Viejo man's SUV around 4 a.m. Thursday morning on Live Oak Canyon Road, said county inspector Corinne Palmer with OC Public Works.
The road between Santiago and Trabuco Canyon was closed at 6:05 a.m. and reopened at 9:24 a.m., according to California Highway Patrol.
Capistrano Valley High graduate Tyler Parry, 24, was driving a friend home with his brother when the tree fell, reports The Orange County Register.
"It was scary," Parry told the Register. "My brother was smart. He ducked to the center of the car to avoid impact."
Later that morning Palmer was busy raking gutters along Live Oak Canyon Road. She was searching for altitude markers to make sure rain water was draining properly.
Mission Viejo experienced a half-inch of rain overnight, according to Weather Underground.