PETERSBURG, Va. β A Petersburg couple's Jeep was destroyed when ice flew off a tractor-trailer and hit their car on Interstate 95, highlighting the dangerous consequences of not clearing winter weather debris from vehicles.
Felicia and Flynn Martinez were driving near the Maury Street Exit on I-95 north when ice launched from the 18-wheeler on the opposite side of the interstate crashed into their vehicle.
"I just heard this resounding boom and it just looked like white glass was everywhere," Felicia Martinez said. "I saw part of the vehicle flapping in the wind, so I knew we were in bad shape,"
Flynn Martinez likened what happened to "hitting a brick wall."
The impact bent the radiator and filled the engine bay with chunks of ice, completely totaling their Jeep.
WATCH: Ice flies off tractor-trailer, totals car on Interstate 95: 'Like hitting a brick wall'
Lt. Shawn Kopelove with Henrico Police said that while it is not required by law to clear snow and ice off vehicles, drivers can face consequences.
"You can be held liable if it flies off and causes an accident," Kopelove said.
State police have seen an uptick in flying ice incidents since the storm, including cracked windshields and injuries from shattered glass, according to Kopelove.
The Martinez family used their Jeep to support Felicia's professional cleaning business. As they search for a new vehicle, they're urging others to clear ice from their cars.
"It really does matter," Flynn Martinez said. "It's small, but it really could be something very significant."
This is a developing story. Email the CBS 6 Newsroom if you have additional information to share.
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