High winds yesterday claimed the life of a Fannin County volunteer firefighter when a tree fell over onto the truck he was driving.

Stanley Henson, 47, of Blue Ridge, was driving east on Hwy. 136 in Dawsonville just before Clear Creek Road on Monday when the tree fell onto his 1998 Toyota Tacoma, according to Georgia State Patrol Spokeswoman Robin Stone. 

Henson was the only person in the vehicle. He died at the scene. 

The incident occurred at approximately 2:12 p.m. and the road was closed to traffic until around 4 p.m.

No other vehicles were involved in the incident. 

Stone said investigators believe that the tree fell because the ground was wet from recent rain and the winds were gusting at a high rate most of the day.