Cassandra Ho and her 10-year-old daughter were driving on the highway in South Sacramento when Ho saw something strange.

“I just noticed, out of the corner of my eye, a person on an overpass,” Ho told KCRA. “I looked up, and something was falling down at my car.”

Before she could process what she saw, she realized she, her daughter, and her car were forced into a less-than-ideal situation.

“I saw it hit the ground, and it didn’t shatter, so I had no choice except to drive over it. But it bounced up off the ground, and it went straight up into the hood of my car,” she said. “The impact you felt, it was really, really strong.”

Without hesitation, she quickly pulled over to the side of the busy highway. Ho looked at the hood of her car and quickly realized her Mercury SUV had saved her family from what could have been a disaster. A large, metal rod had lodged itself next to her headlight, past the engine, and out through the hood.

It was a miracle, she said, that they could drive themselves home without a scratch.

“The guardian angels were like, ‘We’re just going to put that right here, and you’ll be fine,'” said Ho. “What are the odds that even something like that rare happens to you, and then you just walk away?”

Police are looking for the person who threw the rod

After her story went live, reporters with the outlet contacted the California Highway Patrol, who confirmed an investigation is underway. The agency reported no 911 calls were made about the metal rod that hit Ho’s SUV.

Therefore, they’re seeking information from people who may have been driving on December 7. If anything suspicious was seen that afternoon, call 916-897-5600.