BY TOM EMBREY

Senior Writer

An unidentified 17-year-old female suffered a “partial impalement” Thursday when she drove her car off Youngs Road, went through a fence and struck a tree.

The accident happened about 10:30 a.m. in the 2200 block of Youngs Road near Calloway Road. She was flown by helicopterto UNC Hospitals Chapel Hill.

“She is a lucky girl,” said Trooper C.A. Smith, of the State Highway Patrol. He did not release her name because of her age.

Smith said the teen was traveling northeast on Youngs Road when she ran off the road, overcorrected, crossed back over the road and went through a split rail fence and struck a tree. He said a the rail splinterd on impact and a piece went through the driver’s side door near the door handle, striking the victim in the left side.

The victim was conscious when two Good Samaritans arrived from separate directions shortly after the crash, Smith said.

One of those was Michael Warren, who lives about a quarter-mile from the accident. He said he was heading home when saw the car.

“I checked on her. and she was awake but appeared dazed,” said Warren, who immediately called 911.

He said the victim had blood coming from her nose, and had a lot of blood coming from her side. He said she appeared to have hit her head on the windshield and had bruising around her eyes. He said he saw the piece of fence in the car when he first checked on the girl.

“She was in a lot of pain,” he said.

Warren said another woman arrived and they talked to the girl until EMS arrived.

The accident is still under investigation. Smith said the girl couldn’t remember what happened when he asked her at the scene.

“Tire tracks she left didn’t indicate she swerved to hit anything,” Smith said.

Smith said excessive speed was not a factor. He said the victim was wearing her seat belt and both airbags in the car deployed.