A Dade City woman plummeted at least five stories from the balcony of a Flagler Drive apartment building Friday in an incident that has police amazed and baffled.

Amazed because she survived. Baffled at how it happened.

Police found Catrina Misonznick, 34, conscious and lying on the asphalt at about 9:30 a.m. outside the nine-story Coastal Towers apartments, 1001 S. Flagler Drive, just south of Okeechobee Boulevard.

She had suffered "severe injuries" to her lower extremities, Lt. Chuck Reed said.

Above her, a black nylon rope was tied to the railing of a top-floor balcony. It hung down nearly five floors.

Her hands were covered in rope burns.

She was taken to St. Mary's Medical Center, where she underwent surgery for the injuries described as not life-threatening.

Workers on the roof of a nearby building saw Misonznick fall and called 911.

Misonznick told police she had been pushed, an explanation that had "many inconsistencies," Reed said. He did not elaborate.

Police are investigating the fall as a suspicious incident.

It was not immediately known how far Misonznick fell, and investigators had not yet interviewed her late Friday afternoon.

Criminal records show she has been arrested numerous times in at least five Florida counties on drug charges, including cocaine possession and marijuana distribution.

Misonznick and her husband, Michael, are listed as owners of a Dade City maintenance business, records show.

Her husband refused to comment for this story.

Police were unsure how Misonznick got to the balcony.

The only entrance is through a vacant penthouse apartment on the top floor, Reed said.

Members of Misonznick's family said they were equally confused.

Catrina Misonznick was visiting family in the area and had no known ties to the building or any of its tenants, said Fran Misonznick, her sister-in-law. She said Catrina Misonznick has no history of mental illness and was not suicidal.

"We don't know how she got out there," the sister-in-law said.