‘It was so violent:’ Pierce County drivers hit by I-5 rock throwers
Jan 16, 2025, 8:54 AM | Updated: 8:57 am
Photos of the size of the rock thrown off I-5 onto cars and the damage it caused to a car windshield. (Photos courtesy of KIRO 7)
(Photos courtesy of KIRO 7)
Multiple Pierce County drivers were hit by rocks allegedly thrown from an overpass and the side of the highway.
Washington State Patrol (WSP) told KIRO 7 News that it’s aware of at least three similar incidents involving rocks, cinder blocks, and a suitcase in the last few weeks.
A woman shared a photo of a massive rock that allegedly totaled her husband’s vehicle last Thursday near Interstate 5 (I-5).
“My husband ran over this rock while merging from Hwy 7 last week, and it totaled our vehicle,” she wrote in a social media post. “The guy in front of him, who also hit it, saw it drop from above.”
The following day, Jared Shadrick said he experienced a similar incident as he was traveling north on I-5 in Tacoma.
“It was so violent, I kind of blacked out a little bit,” he said. “I think somebody threw something off the overpass or the side of the road.”
Shadrick said the massive rock damaged his work truck’s windshield, which impacted his ability to work.
“Can’t use it for work, definitely not right now. We’re supposed to start a job today, and you see, I’m sitting at home, trying to figure out how to get this replaced,” he said. “It hurts and hits us harder than you think with the bills we got to pay.”
Shadrick said he is hoping those responsible for the recent incidents will stop to prevent further damage and possibly save lives.
“If the rock had gone through where I’m sitting at, it would have hit me directly in the face,” he shared. “Hopefully these people will stop, and we can continue going to work and going back and making it home safely.”
Months prior, a woman, who did not want to be identified, told KIRO 7 News that she was also a victim of a similar case on SR 512 as she was traveling toward Puyallup.
There are no details on a suspect in any of these incidents.
WSP said it encourages people to report any incidents to authorities as they consider these as immediate public safety issues.
“We encourage any driver that comes across debris in the roadway to call 911 and let us know so we can clear it,” WSP stated. “If your vehicle strikes debris in the roadway and sustains damage, you can always call 911 to report the incident and request a law enforcement officer to respond. While we may not be able to determine where the debris came from without specific reports of lost load or pedestrians throwing objects, we can assist in getting their vehicle underway safely and possibly provide a police report if one is necessary.”
