INDIAN RIVER COUNTY — Ralph Glaister was shell-shocked when a flying turtle crashed through his windshield Wednesday afternoon on Interstate 95.
"There was a loud crash. When I looked up, there was glass all over me and a turtle sitting beside me in my van," the 45-year-old Deerfield Beach resident said. "It seemed like it happened in slow motion."
Luckily, both Glaister and the cooter box turtle were not seriously injured. The turtle suffered minor cuts to its tail and back legs, but the shell was not damaged.
Glaister walked away without a scratch.
Glaister was more worried about getting immediate help for the 1-foot-long turtle than fixing his windshield after the crash.
"It is amazing (the turtle) wasn't injured," he said. "He came flying through the windshield at 70 miles per hour. Not many things can live going through a windshield like that."
He was driving to visit his girlfriend, Vero Beach resident Tracy MacLean, about 5 p.m. when the incident happened.
Glaister was heading north on I-95 just south of Indrio Road in St. Lucie County when he noticed the turtle attempting to cross the interstate.
"I saw the turtle crossing the road when it was slightly clipped by the truck in front of me, which sent it flying into the air and through my windshield," he said.
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,1651,TCP_16736_2881548,00.html
"There was a loud crash. When I looked up, there was glass all over me and a turtle sitting beside me in my van," the 45-year-old Deerfield Beach resident said. "It seemed like it happened in slow motion."
Luckily, both Glaister and the cooter box turtle were not seriously injured. The turtle suffered minor cuts to its tail and back legs, but the shell was not damaged.
Glaister walked away without a scratch.
Glaister was more worried about getting immediate help for the 1-foot-long turtle than fixing his windshield after the crash.
"It is amazing (the turtle) wasn't injured," he said. "He came flying through the windshield at 70 miles per hour. Not many things can live going through a windshield like that."
He was driving to visit his girlfriend, Vero Beach resident Tracy MacLean, about 5 p.m. when the incident happened.
Glaister was heading north on I-95 just south of Indrio Road in St. Lucie County when he noticed the turtle attempting to cross the interstate.
"I saw the turtle crossing the road when it was slightly clipped by the truck in front of me, which sent it flying into the air and through my windshield," he said.
http://www.tcpalm.com/tcp/local_news/article/0,1651,TCP_16736_2881548,00.html