Good Samaritan recounts helping passenger after tree slams onto SUV in Evanston amid strong storms

An Evanston woman is recovering after a tree smashed through the car she was in during Friday's storms.

The tree ended up through the windshield, just centimeters from her face.

During strong Friday afternoon storms, a mom, daughter, and one other person were inside this blue sports-utility vehicle when an entire tree slammed down on it.

Kitanya Robertson drove up behind them after it happened.

"I didn't even know someone was in there until she started crying for help," she said.

She says the daughter was driving and her mom was in the passenger seat.

"The tree was literally pointed at her like that," she said.

Face-to-face with this massive tree limb.

"I was asking if she was ok, and she was like, ' No, I am not, I'm not, I'm bleeding, and I can't move.'" Robertson said.

She said a branch did cut into her leg and told her to stay put until paramedics came.

Neighbors say the fire department got there quickly, started cutting down branches, and took two of the three people inside the car to the hospital.

"I was terrified and I wasn't in the car, so I could just imagine the shock they were in," Robertson said.

The people inside the car live down the block and were driving home at the time. A family member of the woman injured by the tree says she is still in the hospital recovering.

It appeared that the tree was decaying in the center before the incident—a concern for Robertson and neighbors nearby.

"I feel like the city should have or would have done something about it if they noticed it was rotting," she said.

Robertson added that while she is glad to hear the woman she tried to help on Friday is physically doing fine, she could only imagine what mental trauma she might now have to deal with.

"I really felt for her. Felt really bad for her. It was like a rollercoaster of emotions for her," Robertson said.

CBS News Chicago reached out to the city of Evanston to see if that tree had been inspected recently, but has not yet heard back.