October 3, 2012 10:07

Billy Corgan sued by 'Grey’s Anatomy''s Eric Dane after alleged 'killer' tree

TV's Eric Dane and Rebecca Gayheart claim Corgan's eucalyptus tree damaged property in a 2011 storm

Photo: PA

Smashing Pumpkins? Smashing foliage, more like. Grey’s Anatomy star Eric Dane and actor Rebecca Gayheart have filed a lawsuit against neighbour Billy Corgan claiming that one of the singer's trees almost killed a heavily pregnant Gayheart.

The couple allege that a tree from Corgan’s Beverly Hills garden was sent crashing into their house during a storm in December 2011, reports TMZ. As a result, they say their home was flooded and a power line was broken, meaning they had to evacuate the property. They are suing for nuisance, negligence and injunctive relief.

Dane and Gayheart claim that the Smashing Pumpkins frontman had been warned about the dangerous eucalyptus trees on his property but failed to take action. Corgan says it’s "patently untrue", though he has since had similar trees removed from his property after consulting an expert.

"I was horrified when I learned about the tree falling during what was a massive storm, a storm with winds strong enough to uproot a 50-foot tree by its base! Thankfully no one was injured," says Corgan.

Corgan recently declared that the next Smashing Pumpkins album will be "a cruel record". The singer, whose band released their new studio album 'Oceania' in June, has said that he is already working away on the follow-up and has promised himself that he will have "vengeance" on his doubters.

He told MTV Hive: "I'm starting to write new songs for the next Pumpkins album. I got a lot going on. I have a title for the next album but I won’t tell. It’s going to be a cruel record. Vengeance is mine."

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