• A stolen tripod smashed through the front window of a van driving down Interstate 5 in Sacramento, California, on Thursday.
  • The tripod impaled a man, who suffered a partially punctured lung and broken ribs in the incident.
  • California Highway Patrol named Matthew Adam Thompson, 32, as the suspect they believe stole the tripod and threw it over the overpass.
  • CHP Officer Jim Young told INSIDER that detectives are still investigating. He said that Thompson is still a suspect, but has not ben charged with any crimes connected to the incident.
  • Visit INSIDER’s homepage for more stories.

A military veteran was impaled in the chest with a tripod after someone stole the device from a California Department of Transportation crew and threw it over a freeway overpass.

Tim Page told KCRA-TV that he was driving down Interstate 5 in Sacramento on Thursday when a yellow-and-red tripod smashed through his windshield and impaled the man sitting in the passenger seat.

The man who was hit has not been publicly named. He suffered a partially punctured lung and broken ribs in the incident, but is expected to make a full recovery.

“I saw a yellow something out of the corner of my eye,” Page told KCRA. “When it hit the windshield, then I ducked and kind of bent over, a little late of course. And when I straightened up and looked over, that’s when I saw this through the windshield.”

Page volunteers with El Dorado Veteran Services, an organization that supports military families.

He had picked up a man from Sacramento International Airport before the incident. The pair were headed to Mather Airport to pick up another veteran when the tripod hit their vehicle.

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According to NBC News, California Highway Patrol named Matthew Adam Thompson, 32, as the suspect they believe is responsible for the incident.

Authorities identified Thompson through watching surveillance video of the theft.

California Highway Patrol Officer Jim Young told INSIDER that detectives are still investigating. He said that Thompson is still a suspect, but has not ben charged with any crimes connected to the incident.

Page told KCRA that the incident could have been much worse.

"I could've lost control of the van. We both could've been out in traffic," he said. "There's numerous things that could have happened but didn't… life's a wonderful thing when you don't look at the bad part of life, you know, the miracles of life are great."