06:57 AM MDT on Tuesday, July 20, 2004

Associated Press

MALTA - Try explaining this one to your auto insurance agent.

Julia Dalesandro was driving home from a trip to Redfish Lake last week when her car was struck by lightning near Malta.

Cassia County Sheriff's Deputy Larry Thompson says the charge totaled the 1996 Subaru, blowing out all four tires and creating a fireball underneath the vehicle.

But neither the Centerville, Utah resident nor her passengers were harmed. She says the group was noticing how pretty the storm was when there was a big explosion.

Witnesses say the lightning strike also blasted a chunk of asphalt out of Interstate-86.