Pokémon Company Graphic Designer Killed by Fallen Tree

A creative graphic designer working for The Pokémon Company died on Sunday when a massive tree crushed his vehicle during a violent windstorm.

Eric Medalle, 42, was taking his toddler daughter out for an afternoon drive in Seattle’s Seward Park when hurricane-like winds snapped a Douglas fir evergreen, sending the behemoth-sized tree toppling down onto the top of his BMW X3 sport utility vehicle. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

“It’s very sad and tragic to lose someone so young so suddenly,” said Estrella Ferrer, Medalle’s aunt. “Everybody was shocked. I was completely shocked. I can’t believe it happened.”

According to KING 5 News, a 36-year-old women who was passing by, who wishes to remain anonymous, freed the young girl from the crushed vehicle. She was sent to Harborview Medical Center and sustained only minor injuries.

“Due to the high wind and the heavy winds we’ve received over, pretty much, the whole winter it was … an unforeseen incident that happened,” said Matt Stemple, a tree trimmer and arborist for Seattle Parks and Recreation.

Since 1999, Medalle has worked for the The Pokémon Company International located in Bellevue, Wash. For the past six years, he has filled the role of creative design director.

A sample of Medalle’s artwork includes logos for Nintendo 3DS title Pokémon Dream Radarand the television series Pokémon the Series: XY. He also designed artwork for the English versions of Pokémon Black and White Versions 2, Pokémon Conquest, Pokémon Ranger: Guardian Signs, and much more.

Medalle is survived by his wife and two daughters, who are two and six years old.