Sruthi Santosh was manning the counter at the Metro Petrolium station on the corner of Pioneer Drive and Murray Road about 1.45pm Tuesday when a car drove directly over the middle of the roundabout outside. 

With the store’s windows insulating her against the sounds of the street, she looked on goggle-eyed as the car flew noiselessly through the air. 

“It was flying at some height. I’m five foot two and I could have fit [under it],” Ms Santosh said. 

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“I have never seen such thing in real life, only in movies.

“I was thinking, what is happening? Is it real or not?

“Luckily there were no cars at that time, because otherwise it would have damaged so many lives.” 

The car was captured on the petrol station’s CCTV camera as it passed through the air, landed and continued southward down Pioneer Drive. 

Police say the driver, a 55-year-old Corrimal woman, was lucky to escape without more serious injuries. 

The woman was briefly trapped in the wreckage of the car, a black Nissan Pulsar, before firefighters cut her free.

An emergency chopper was called to her aid but she was ultimately transported to Wollongong Hospital by road ambulance, with a back injury. 

Donald Faulds, Wollongong Police Inspector, said the car had landed 40 metres down the road. 

“It skidded another 100 metres before coming to rest,” he said. 

“There would have had to be some speed involved for it to become airborne and skid that far.

“It’s a concern. If it had occurred during school time it would have been a concern for everyone involved. It was just by luck that there were no vehicles passing in the opposite direction and the time, and it only involved one vehicle.” 

“She [the driver] was the only one that was injured, luckily.” 

Police believe mental health issues may have played a role in the crash. 

The woman was to undergo blood and urine testing, in line with standard police procedures.

“We’re just awaiting those results, pending any further action,” Insp Faulds said.