ANDERSON, Ind. (AP) -- A woman survived being impaled by a 12-foot metal fence post that pierced through her mouth and came out the back of her neck in a car accident, authorities said.
Emergency crews had to saw off part of the 1 1/2-inch thick fence rail to free Alejandra Martinez, who was still awake when crews arrived at the scene. Fire officials were shocked to find her alive.
``Talk about having an angel as a co-pilot,'' Fire Chief J.R. Rosencrans said. ``On her rearview mirror she had a picture of the Madonna. You can tell she is a religious person.''
Martinez, 28, was in critical condition late Monday, recovering from surgery, officials said.
Earlier Monday, Martinez drove through a stop sign at an intersection and hit another car, Anderson police spokesman Terry Sollars said. She then lost control, careened off the road and went through a chain-link fence.
The car hit a concrete porch, shoving it three feet back, Sollars said. The metal rod from the fence went through the driver's side of the windshield, he said.
A passenger in the back seat was not injured.
Anderson is about 35 miles northeast of Indianapolis.
