Rock thrown through windshield kills North Carolina woman

BURKE COUNTY, N.C. -- North Carolina highway patrol is investigating a crash, in which a rock was thrown into the windshield of a car, killing a woman.

It happened Wednesday night in Burke County, WSOC reported.

Troopers believe shortly before 9 p.m. Wednesday, someone threw the 5- to 8-pound rock from another vehicle or from the side of the road. It hit and killed 23-year-old Brittany Ferguson.

Investigators said Ferguson's car continued off the road and then hit the front of a home. Witnesses said the large rock was still in the front seat of the car and the wheels were spinning when they got up to the vehicle.

All Thursday morning, people were driving slowly by the scene. Neighbors said Ferguson's family members placed signs Thursday morning along the roadway where it happened, asking for help from the public. Shattered glass was still at the scene.

Heather Deal showed the path of the car as it went through her yard before hitting the home.

"I really don't have the words," Deal said. "I really don't have the words. It's scary. She was meeting up with her sister is what I was told by family, and they were supposed to go and have a day at the Biltmore house."

Abby Rumfelt owns the home that was damaged.

SEE ALSO: Close call: Steel beam comes crashing into moving car, narrowly missing man

"I hope that whoever did this act will come forward and, you know, man up to what's happened here," she said. "Because it's just an awful tragedy."

"Evil: That's all I can think of is evil, just pure evil," Deal said.

State troopers said they are looking for a white Chevrolet S-10 that was spotted in the area and possibly had someone in the bed of the truck. They are working closely with sheriff's deputies on the case, hoping to find the person responsible.

"Someone threw a rock, either standing on the shoulder or passing by in the opposite direction in another vehicle," First Sgt. Daniel Wakefield said.

He's with the North Carolina State Highway Patrol.

"We're going to rely on and hope that someone will come forward and help us with this to locate this vehicle," he said.

State troopers said they're also canvassing the area with deputies to see if there's any surveillance cameras that captured video of the second vehicle around the time of the wreck.