Both the turtle and the driver were unharmed, according to the St. Lucie County Fire District.<\/b>
\nA turtle that had been struck in traffic was sent crashing through a driver\u2019s windshield Friday evening on Florida\u2019s Turnpike in northern St. Lucie County. A southbound tractor-trailer nicked a turtle, „causing it to go airborne\u201d near mile marker 176, southeast of the Fort Drum Marsh Conservation Area, according to a widely shared social media post by the St. Lucie County Fire District. More: \u2018A fantastic day\u2019: Kissimmee River restoration project complete after 22 years The turtle crashed through the windshield of a nearby car, leaving glass shattered on the dashboard and twisting the rearview mirror askew, according to photographs posted by the agency. The driver called authorities at approximately 5:10 p.m., the fire district said. A separate photograph shows the turtle, whose carapace resembles that of a yellow-bellied slider, in the back seat of the car. More: Toxic algae: Water advisory lifted at Timer Powers Park, not Port Mayaca In a wild stroke of luck, both the driver and the aquatic reptile were unharmed, the fire district reported. \u201cThe turtle was released safely,\u201d according to the agency. It\u2019s not the first time a struck turtle has hit the windshield of a moving vehicle in Florida this year. In April, a similar incident near Port Orange sent a 71-year-old woman to the hospital, the Daytona Beach News-Journal reported. A turtle crashed through her windshield, hit her in the head and left her with a half-inch cut above one of her eyes. The turtle survived with only scratches on its shell. For more news, follow Max Chesnes on Twitter. Max Chesnes is a TCPalm environment reporter focusing on issues facing the Indian River Lagoon, St. Lucie River and Lake Okeechobee. You can keep up with Max on Twitter @MaxChesnes, email him at max.chesnes@tcpalm.com and give him a call at 772-978-2224. Read more of Max’s stories.<\/p>\n