Sacramento van passenger impaled by tripod thrown from overpass

SACRAMENTO - Somebody stole a tripod from a Caltrans crew and then dropped it from an overpass onto a Sacramento freeway, impaling the lung of a passenger in a van, authorities said.

The driver of the van, Tim Page, told KCRA-TV that he was on Interstate 5 Thursday morning when the yellow-and-red tripod smashed through the glass. He said it went through his passenger’s lung and popped out.

The man survived but with broken ribs and a partially punctured lung.

Authorities said a 32-year-old man they suspect threw the tripod was arrested on a warrant but may face a charge of attempted murder.

Page volunteers with El Dorado Veteran Resources and had picked up his passenger, another veteran, from the airport.