Ax nearly impales woman in car on highway

TOPSFIELD, Mass. (KFSN) -- It was a scary moment on a highway north of Boston when an ax smashed through the windshield of a car.

Massachusetts State Police say the ax bounced out of a landscaper's dump truck at about 11 a.m. Wednesday on southbound Interstate 95 in Topsfield. They released a photo showing the ax with a corner of its blade stuck in the passenger side of the car's dashboard. The handle was sticking through the windshield.

Police say the car's passenger was "shaken up" but not hurt.

The truck driver, from Peabody, Massachusetts, was cited for failing to secure the ax, which carries a $200 fine.

Police say it could have been worse if the car's driver hadn't been obeying the 65 mph speed limit.

"The man whose car was struck was obeying the speed limit, driving about 65 mph. If he had been speeding, the increased velocity of his car would have increased the power of the axe's impact, meaning it could very well have gone through the glass and injured his passenger. Please remember those lessons. We are very thankful that this situation did not have a worse ending," the Facebook post said.

Police aren't identifying the motorists.