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Nightmare on the Beltway: ‘Metal stake’ strikes driver on Outer Loop

A driver was extricated from a vehicle on the Capital Beltway on Nov. 26, 2019. (Courtesy MCRFS/Pete Piringer)

Tuesday morning’s commute took a terrifying turn for a woman driving on the Capital Beltway’s Outer Loop when a piece of metal debris flew through her windshield and nearly impaled her.

Initially, Montgomery County, Maryland, fire personnel said the driver was impaled through her chest with a metal, stake-like object. Montgomery County Fire and Rescue spokesman Pete Piringer said later that further assessment revealed she was not impaled and only sustained minor, impact-related wounds.

Police and first responders were dispatched to the Outer Loop between Md. Route 355 and Connecticut Avenue around 6:15 a.m. They found a woman trapped in a minivan, where the windshield and steering wheel had been pierced with a metal object 3 feet long and 4 inches wide.

Aerial footage from ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s news partner NBC Washington showed rescue workers using hydraulic equipment and a buzzsaw to break through the wreckage, shielding the woman from sparks and providing life support, before she was freed and transported to a trauma center.

As of 8 a.m., the woman’s condition was considered serious but stable.

For the latest road and traffic conditions, see ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½’s traffic page or listen to updates or on the air at 103.5 FM. Submit traffic tips by calling 866-304-²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ or on Twitter.

Alejandro Alvarez

Alejandro Alvarez joined ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ as a digital journalist and editor in June 2018. He is a reporter and photographer focusing on politics, political activism and international affairs.

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