They are called "gators" in the trucking world. Truck tires are built with heavy steel cording. I caught one with my trailer tire awhile back. It tore the side wall out of my trailer tire, took out an air line to my trailer brakes. Damn things can make a mess. You're lucky that is all the damage it done. That should never be counted as a collision. They are a road hazard just like a rock hitting your windshield.