ATHENS, Ga. – A woman is looking for answers after a firecracker was thrown into her car and exploded while she was driving.
Athens-Clarke County police said she was driving down Carver Drive and was turning onto Zatella Lane when someone threw the firecracker into her car Monday night.
Officials said a grassy field nearby was full of children and the situation could have been much more dangerous -- especially if the woman lost control of her vehicle.
"It could have been tragic -- both the driver and the passenger could have lost their lives if they had been involved in an accident," said Athens-Clarke County Public Information Officer Epifanio Rodriguez. "This is a residential area. If she lost control, she could have hit a vehicle, children or adults walking down the sidewalk."
Police bodycam video captured the moments right after the fireworks were thrown into the car.
The woman, who wishes to remain anonymous, told 11Alive the fireworks exploded right in front of her as she drove.
"I was coming in to my sister's house and I got right by the entrance to turn into the neighborhood, and there's a firecracker that lands right next to my car," she said. "It popped on my shoulder and hit me in the face a little bit."
Her sister, who was sitting in the passenger seat, was also burned.
"Once [the firecracker] exploded, it burned her shoulder and started sparking in the car, then exploding ... and smoke filled the cabin of the vehicle," said Rodriguez.
The driver told 11Alive she originally planned to have children in the car with her -- but that night, she changed her mind. The driver and her sister are recovering from the minor burns.
"My niece and nephew were almost in the car with me when that happened," she said. "I'm glad I made the decision to leave them with my grandpa."
Officers canvassed the neighborhood on Friday but no arrests have been made.
Witnesses said it might have been a group of children nearby who threw the fireworks into the street.Anyone with information on this case is asked to call Athens-Clark County Police.
