Freak accident claims Pokemon designer’s life

Eric Medalle was one of the creative mind’s behind Pokemon’s design. Screen grab via Eric Medalle Facebook.

The Pokemon company’s creative design director Eric Medalle died last Sunday (Monday Manila time) after a tree fell on his car during a storm in Seattle.

Citing a report from the digital media website, Mashable.com, Medalle was taking his daughter for a drive near a park when strong winds broke a tree called Douglas fir and came crashing down on his SUV.

Authorities respond to scene. Screen grab from technobuffalo.com

“It was a very large Douglas fir tree,” said Seattle Parks & Recreation arborist Matt Stempley , who was first on the scene of the accident.

“I think what happened was very unpredictable,” he added.

The designer was pronounced dead on the spot while his toddler only suffered minor injuries.

Medalle had been with The Pokémon Company since 2003, where he worked on the likes of Omega Ruby, Alpha Sapphire, X, Y, HeatGold, SoulSilver, Black 2, White 2, Black, White and more.

He also designed the English logos for the Pokemon:XY and Pokemon: Black & White! television anime, as well as a number for the Pokémon movies.

Medalle will be buried on Thursday March 18, (Friday March 19, Manila time).

He leaves behind a wife and two daughters, aged 2 and 6.