State police say the 75-year-old victim was conscious as he was being airlifted to the medical center after the crash.
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Video shows the black SUV in a grassy area off the highway with a large hole visible in the driver's side of the windshield.
The driver was flown to an area hospital in critical condition.
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There was no immediate word as to how a 50 pound dumbbell could have ended up hitting the windshield.
State police say they haven't ruled out the possibility someone may have thrown the dumbbell over one the overpasses nearby.
Both sides of the turnpike were shut down approaching the crash scene as medics attended to the injured driver and police investigated.