"In an instant I just heard a loud crack," said Antwine Carr.
A crack, then three side airbags deployed in his 2006 Mercedes E 320.
Last Friday, Carr had been driving westbound on Route 38 by Route 70 just before 6:30 p.m. when he came across what he describes as a chain of potholes with one big one at the end.
"I did happen to see the pothole but it was a little too late because traffic was on either side of me. By the time I got to the last one it was like 'Pow!'- like a loud firecracker," said Carr.
He thought he might have been hit, explaining he was temporarily blinded by the curtain airbag.
However when his friend jumped out to check the damage, there was no other vehicle, just potholes.
Carr was able to drive his Mercedes to Power Sound 38 where it remains.
He has two rims and two run-flat tires damaged and he'll need new airbags and new panels. The estimate so far is around $5,000.
"I'm waiting for my insurance to come out and they're gonna have a look at it. The insurance is talking about having to total it out because of the airbag damage, it gets so expensive," said Carr.
"To have the shock sensors go off to make those things pop. You figure that's an impact from another vehicle," said Micah Adams, owner of Power Sound 38.
Adams has a sympathetic ear, explaining he damaged his own wheel on the same stretch of potholes.
Adams and co-owner Stephany Wadell have a half dozen sets of rims sitting in their lobby that need repair - all from drivers who couldn't avoid the potholes.
It's been a busy season for them and an expensive one for drivers.
"It's costing people a lot of money," said Wadell.
There is already quite a bit of known damage but there could be even more. Once the rims are off, they'll check the alignment and suspension so the list of the needed repairs for Carr's vehicle will likely grow.
