Country's Fifth Oldest Tree Burned Down By Woman Smoking Meth

The 118-foot, 3,500-year-old bald cypress tree known as 'The Senator' in Longwood, Florida, was not only the state's oldest tree, and the fifth oldest tree in the whole country, but also the largest tree of any type east of the Mississippi. To put the tree's age in perspective, it's estimated it first began growing shortly after 1500 B.C. But now it's gone, and a meth-addicted woman has been arrested for burning it down.

Now, 26-year-old Sara Barnes has been arrested for the fire. Barnes said she regularly hid out in the Senator's park to get high on meth. She was getting high underneath the Senator when she lit a fire so she could see better. The fire got out of control, and Barnes fled. Though, not before she took a few photos and videos of the fire on her cellphone.

http://blogs.miaminewtimes.com/riptide/2012/03/floridas_oldest_tree_burned_do.php