A freak accident saw an unsuspecting driver get the fright of her life during an otherwise routine trip along the highway.
The woman, whose name has not been disclosed, had been driving along US Route 74 near Bryson City when there was a sudden, loud noise and the passenger side of her windshield caved in.
In total shock, she pulled over and tried to determine what had just happened.
Her call to 911 dispatch conveyed the fear and surprise of the incident.
"You may not believe me, but I just had a bald eagle drop a cat through my windshield," she said.
"It absolutely shattered my windshield."
The dispatcher seemed a little uncertain about the sincerity of the call at first, but noted that they had heard crazier stories from callers.
When they asked the woman if the cat itself was still alive, she replied that the animal was dead and that it was now lying at the side of the road and not inside her car.
"OK, I have to ask just to make sure," the dispatcher replied.
It seemed as though the eagle must have been carrying the carcass of the dead cat when, just as it was passing overhead, it lost its grip and dropped the creature's remains right on top of her car.
The woman was quite fortunate as the end result could have been much worse.