A male is brought to the emergency room suffering from respi…

A male is brought to the emergency room suffering from respiratory distress. According to his wife, the male started choking during dinner. Physical exam shows an object is lodged in his throat and blocking the passage of air into the trachea. Death is imminent unless airflow to the lungs is restored immediately. During the emergency procedure to restore airflow to the patient’s lungs, the cricothyroid muscle is accidentally paralyzed. Damage to which of the following structures is the most likely cause of this paralysis?