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Woman narrowly escapes injury as bullet pierces car amid drag racing chaos

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Published  September 19, 2024 11:23pm EDT
DeKalb County
FOX 5 Atlanta

Woman nearly struck by gunfire during street takeover

A woman says she was caught in the crossfire during a streetcar takeover. She says several cars were laying drag along Panola Road at Browns Mill Road when the shots were fired. She shares her story.

In brief:

    • Terica McDowell's car was hit by a bullet during a drag racing event in DeKalb County.
    • The shooting incident happened near Panola and Browns Mill roads amid chaotic street racing.
    • McDowell processed the severity of the close call after seeing the bullet entry at home.
    • Drag racing and public safety concerns in the area have been previously reported by FOX 5.
    • The experience has had a lasting emotional impact on McDowell, fearing for community safety.

DEKALB COUNTY, Ga. - A DeKalb County woman says she is truly thankful to be alive after she says someone fired a shot that went through her car. 

Terica McDowell says she was heading home when there was a large group drag racing and shut down the intersection. 

"I'm thinking, 'Thank God, I'm alive," Terica McDowell said. 

Terica McDowell stands just inches away from where a bullet pierced the back of her SUV on Saturday. 

"It stopped here, and this is where the bullet came from when we opened up the trunk," McDowell said, showing FOX 5’s Eric Perry the bullet holes. 

A bullet tore into a DeKalb County woman’s SUV as she tried to avoid a massive street takeover near the intersection of Panola and Browns Mill roads.

A bullet tore into a DeKalb County woman’s SUV as she tried to avoid a massive street takeover near the intersection of Panola and Browns Mill roads.  (FOX 5)

McDowell described coming home late Saturday and noticing a commotion near the intersection of Panola and Browns Mill roads. 

"As I got closer to the BP gas station, there were people drag racing. There were cars everywhere and people everywhere. People were running lights. It was a big, huge party," McDowell said. 

Then, she heard a bang. 

"We heard something that sounded like fireworks. It was so loud. Then all of a sudden we heard 'boom' and then we realized I was hit," McDowell said. 

McDowell said she pulled over but didn't realize how close to tragedy she was until she got home and saw where the bullet entered. 

"What if someone was in my backseat? What if it came through? My life could have been gone. I wouldn't have known what happened, where it came from or anything of that nature," McDowell said. 

FOX 5 has covered extensively the crackdown on drag racing and intersection shutdowns across the metro Atlanta area. 

"It's very scary, and it makes you think about where the parents are. These were young people, like a huge party. Is no one paying attention to where their kids are at that time of night," McDowell said. 

A bullet tore into a DeKalb County woman’s SUV as she tried to avoid a massive street takeover near the intersection of Panola and Browns Mill roads.

A bullet tore into a DeKalb County woman’s SUV as she tried to avoid a massive street takeover near the intersection of Panola and Browns Mill roads.  (FOX 5)

As the bullet lies untouched in her trunk, the memories continue to replay in her mind. 

"It's hard and heartbreaking that you can't ride to the store or anywhere without you having to keep your head on a swivel in order to see what's going on around," McDowell said.