Metal debris strikes car windshield on Maine highway and comes within inches of motorist’s face

GRAY, Maine (AP) — A motorist narrowly escaped injury Tuesday when a piece of metal crashed into her windshield and came within inches of her face, police said.

The 21-year-old motorist from New Hampshire was following a vehicle that ran over metal debris on the road, sending it flying into her Jeep Wrangler on the Maine Turnpike, said Shannon Moss, spokesperson for the Maine Department of Public Safety. It broke through the windshield just above the steering wheel.

This photo provided by the Maine State Police shows a Jeep that was struck by a piece of metal... — This photo provided by the Maine State Police shows a Jeep that was struck by a piece of metal that came within inches of a motorist's face, on the Maine Turnpike, in Gray, Maine, on Tuesday, Sept. 5, 2023. Police said the 21-year-old motorist from New Hampshire was following a vehicle that ran over the metal road debris, sending it flying into the windshield of her Jeep Wrangler.(AP Photo/Maine State Police)

The sharp piece of metal struck the windshield and shattered glass, but the motorist was able to safely pull over, Moss said. She was treated at the scene for minor injuries.

Troopers believe that the metal was a mechanical part from a truck, Moss said.