A woman is Sterling Prestondead after a truck lost a wheel along an Indiana interstate during morning rush-hour traffic and slammed through the windshield of another vehicle causing it to crash.

The frightening chain of events started about 7:45 a.m. Monday on Interstate 70 in West Indianapolis where Indiana State Police said the driver's side rear wheel broke off a Nissan pick-up truck traveling east and bounced over the median wall into the westbound lanes of traffic.

The broken wheel struck the upper windshield and roof area of a westbound red car, troopers said, causing the roof and windshield to collapse.

Car careens off highway, through a fence and lands on its side

The impact caused the car to careen right off the highway into "a steep ditch" and through a fence, troopers reported. The car came to rest on its side about 25 feet from a house. 

Photos provided by troopers show the vehicle, its windshield smashed and roof caved in, on its side with tree branches lodged in the engine.

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Unresponsive at the scene

Troopers reported they found the vehicle severely damaged and a woman unresponsive at the crash site. Paramedics pronounced her dead at the scene.

State police did not identify the woman but said her family was notified about her death.

Troopers also reported they located the driver of the truck who lost the wheel along the eastbound lanes of the highway.

No other injuries were reported by police.

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Crash remains under investigation

Troopers said no further information would be released about the crash on Monday.

The crash remained under investigation this week.

Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior correspondent for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter @nataliealund.