BETHESDA, Md. – Authorities in Maryland say a large piece of steel flew through the windshield of a minivan, striking and injuring a woman who was driving on a freeway.

The Washington Post reports that the car was struck at 6:15 a.m. Tuesday on the Capital Beltway in Bethesda.

Montgomery County Fire Department spokesman Pete Piringer said the woman was able to call 911 and was conscious when rescuers arrived. They initially thought she had been impaled but now believe she received only minor injuries.

Piringer says the piece of steel was longer than 3 feet (1 meter).

He says authorities aren’t sure what caused it to fly into the woman’s windshield.

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