CHERRY RIDGE TOWNSHIP -- An internal investigation into three state troopers in Wayne County has prevented a woman from getting her car back.
Those state troopers shot and killed a National Guardsman in December, and in the process, also shot up his girlfriend's car.
The car has been impounded since December.
Troopers still consider the white Ford to be evidence in an internal affairs investigation into that deadly shooting.
While the car's parked at the barracks with bullet holes, its owner has to rely on friends and family to get around.
"I was expecting to see my car destroyed."
Lindsey Erk saw her car Monday for the first time since it was seized by state police. They took it after troopers shot and killed her boyfriend Derek DeGroat last month outside Waymart.
Bullets fired that night damaged the vehicle and investigators used a search warrant to take Erk's only form of transportation as evidence.
"It's not easy," Erk said. "I have to rely on friends and family to get to me to appointments and to where I have to go."
Erk says she's pregnant and needs to go to numerous appointments while her car sits covered, in part, with plastic behind a chain-link fence.
"They told me, 'You're lucky if you get your car back by Easter.'"
State police have had Erk's car for five weeks now at the Honesdale barracks.
The Wayne County district attorney ruled that shooting a justifiable homicide more than a week ago.
"They should have had the investigation done by now," said her sister Shelley Ann Shafer. "(The) car is sitting there like she said."
Erk wanted to know if she'll have her vehicle back anytime soon. Troopers came out to speak with her and indicated state police plan to pay for any repairs. but there's no timeline and Erk is left to wonder how she'll get to work and those doctor appointments in the meantime.
"Just because Derek's gone, he's laid to rest now, he's peaceful. We're still dealing with it on a daily basis, like me with his car. People don't realize it's not over for me yet."
State police weren't able to say if they could help Erk with a rental, much like any insurance company would.
That answer would have to come from headquarters in Harrisburg which was closed Monday due to severe weather.