Mistaken arrest made for man suspected of throwing rocks onto Seattle freeway
Jun 23, 2021, 6:55 AM | Updated: 8:27 am
A rock did extensive damage to this car on June 3. (Mercer Island Fire Department)
(Mercer Island Fire Department)
Washington State Patrol reported Tuesday that it made a mistaken arrest in one of the cases involving rocks being thrown onto freeways in downtown Seattle.
2 men arrested for throwing rocks onto freeways in Seattle
This came after troopers spotted a man throwing rocks over the I-90 interchange around 3 a.m. on June 20. He attempted to flee the scene on his bicycle.
While in pursuit, the suspect “ended up going out of sight in a plaza near 5th Ave and Weller,” according to state patrol. Troopers then saw a man on a bicycle wearing a headlamp who “closely matched the description of the suspect involved in the foot pursuit,” and subsequently arrested him.
Surveillance video from the incident later revealed that the suspect was not actually the man who had thrown rocks off the interchange. He was released from jail as a result.
A separate arrest was also made for a suspect seen throwing rocks onto I-5 near the downtown Seattle Convention Center early Monday morning.
Rocks thrown onto I-90 injure two people, damage cars
So far this year, there have been close to 80 reports of debris being thrown onto traffic in that area. At least two people were injured on June 3 when someone threw rocks or other debris onto I-90. Mercer Island Fire Battalion Chief Stephen Mair says both incidents happened near the Mount Baker Tunnel and Rainier Avenue exits.
“The rock went through the windshield and hit her in the shoulder,” Mair said.
Hours later, a second car was hit by a rock or other debris that injured a passenger, who declined to be transferred to a hospital.
Throwing objects at cars is a crime ranging from a misdemeanor offense to felony assault if it results in severe injuries
