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May 6, 2005

A woman driving down Utah State Road 201, on the west side of Salt Lake County, escaped serious injury when a lightning bolt struck her car. The vehicle went through the bolt, which landed on the road about 4:10 p.m.

The afternoon lightning bolt destroyed the car's windshield and a side-view mirror and caused the airbags to deploy. However, The driver, Aline Devaud, was able to maintain control of the car and and only suffered a few minor injuries, said Utah Highway Patrol Officer Jay Watkin.

"I thought the tire had blown out, my car was just in the shop yesterday, so I thought those darn mechanics... what did they do wrong? Ha Ha Ha!" Devaud said.

Witnesses said the car had been hit by a bright lightning bolt. It created a huge hole in the passenger side of the windshield and took a chunk out of the pavement below.

"Absolutely amazing. I've never seen anything like it. Absolutely amazing," said officer Watkin.