Christina Kay Theisen of Port Charlotte, Florida, is happy she was paying attention to the road while driving along Alligator Alley on Interstate 75 in Broward County, or she would not have seen the boat oar that hurled through her windshield.
According to Florida Highway Patrol, Theisen, 33, was heading home after a work trip on December 9 when a mobile home either dropped an oar or threw it up from the road. The oar flew handle first and struck the bonnet of Theisen’s Chevrolet before it got impaled in the front windshield, missing Theisen by inches.
Theisen’s quick reflexes and ability to keep her vehicle under control before stopping saved her life. She reportedly contacted her father immediately after the accident because she was “hysterical at first” before calling the highway patrol.
Pictures released by the agency show what a close call it was for Theisen. If she hadn’t moved in time, she would have been seriously or even fatally injured. The oar handle pierced through the windshield on the driver’s side of the vehicle and embedded itself over the dashboard and steering wheel.
Lt. Greg Bueno told news sources that the case was closed because there is no information available on the motor home that was responsible. An arrest can’t be made unless more information about the RV responsible is found.
Bueno said that under Florida law, drivers who don’t properly secure their belongings on their vehicle violate a noncriminal traffic infraction. The driver is usually punished with a $115 fine, but if the unsecured debris hurts or kills another person then it becomes a misdemeanor criminal traffic offense, which can land the responsible party in jail for a maximum of 60 days or require them to pay a $500 fine.