Large Piece Of Wood Impales Windshield

The piece of wood hit Maria Federici, 24, who was on her way home from a restaurant on the Eastside. She was driving her Jeep Cherokee southbound on Interstate 405 near Northeast 30th.

"Everybody is in complete shock," said Steve Hansen, Federici's uncle.

The piece of wood is a six-foot-by-two-foot piece of heavy pressboard, apparently part of a piece of furniture.

"As I've heard it described it flew off the vehicle like a Frisbee and hit the front of her car," Hansen said.

"We're not talking about a little rock hitting the windshield," said Kelly Spangler of the Washington State Patrol. "We're talking about a large piece of furniture hitting the windshield."

Federici was in intensive care at Harborview Medical Center in Seattle Monday evening in critical condition.

At the scene Monday, detectives found many more pieces of wood that appeared to have made up an entertainment center or desk.

Police and Federici's family are asking for help in finding the vehicle that dropped the piece of furniture.

"Think about them having a daughter or a son, a loved one in the same position. I simply ask them to do the right thing," said Steve Hansen.

Federici is studying communications at the University of Washington, where she's on the Dean's List.

If you know anything about the case, you're asked to call Bellevue police.